Twins at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds hope to continue their offensive surge when they host the Minnesota Twins in the middle contest of their three-game interleague series on Tuesday. Cincinnati took out its frustrations on the Twins in Monday's opener, erupting for 17 hits (13 singles) in an 11-7 triumph after scoring a total of four runs while being swept of a three-game set by the Mets in New York over the weekend.
Tucker Barnhart went 4-for-5 and drove in two runs while Eugenio Suarez collected three hits and three RBIs as the Reds won for the eighth time in nine home games. Cincinnati improved to 4-8 in interleague play this season, including 2-0 at home. Brian Dozier capped a six-run fourth inning with a three-run homer for the Twins, who trailed 9-1 after three frames before making things interesting. Minnesota fell to 1-3 on its 10-game road trip and has lost seven of its last nine away from home.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Phil Hughes (6-6, 4.20 ERA) vs. Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (5-5, 3.35)
Hughes is coming off back-to-back eight-inning efforts against the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, allowing one run in each outing and a total of eight hits en route to victories. The 29-year-old has shown tremendous control this season, issuing a total of nine walks in 98 2/3 innings and more than one just once in 15 starts. Hughes, who never has faced Cincinnati, is 1-4 with a 4.74 ERA in seven turns on the road this season.
DeSclafani's winless drought reached three starts Thursday, when he walked away with a no-decision at Pittsburgh after yielding four runs - one earned - and six hits in six innings. The 25-year-old has allowed more than three earned runs only once in his last seven outings, going 3-1 in that span. DeSclafani, who is 2-3 with a 4.58 ERA in seven home starts, faces Minnesota for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins RF Torii Hunter, who went 1-for-4 on Monday, has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games.
2. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton recorded four stolen bases in the series opener, giving him a major league-leading 40 on the season.
3. Dozier is 1-for-10 in his last two games after going 7-for-11 in his previous three.