Reds at Braves
Hitting with runners in scoring position has been a stumbling block for the Cincinnati Reds lately, but the clutch hitting finally appeared Saturday. The Reds look to defeat the host Atlanta Braves for the third time in four games on Sunday, one day after going 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position en route to an 8-4 triumph.
Cincinnati, which entered Saturday batting .192 with runners in scoring position, finished with five extra-base hits - including three homers and a pair of triples by Jay Bruce. The Reds turn to ace Johnny Cueto in the series finale as they seek their fifth win in seven games. The Braves have allowed 46 runs and 11 homers while going 2-4 on their current 10-game homestand. Cameron Maybin, who hit a two-run shot on Saturday, has had four of his last eight hits leave the ballpark.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (2-2, 1.95 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (2-1, 4.67)
Cueto dazzled in a pair of eight-inning performances against the Brewers in his past two starts, giving up a total of eight hits with 14 strikeouts in 16 innings. He is holding opponents to a .172 batting average over a National League-leading 37 1/3 frames with 38 strikeouts. Cueto, who led the NL in strikeouts last year, is 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA in six career outings against Atlanta.
Teheran has pitched like anything but Atlanta’s ace in his last three starts, allowing six homers over 15 innings while surrendering 16 runs (12 earned) and 20 hits. He yielded seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 5 2/3 frames against Washington on Tuesday. Teheran is 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three career starts versus the Reds.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta C A.J. Pierzynski went hitless in four at-bats Saturday, ending his 13-game hitting streak.
2. Bruce, who hit two triples in 297 games over the previous two seasons, became the first Cincinnati player to triple twice in a game since Dmitri Young on Sept. 28, 2000 against Milwaukee.
3. Braves LF Kelly Johnson is three hits away from reaching 1,000 for his career.