Reds at Pirates
The Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday try to continue their recent mastery of the Pirates when they visit Pittsburgh for a three-game series. Cincinnati, which began its 10-game road trip by splitting four contests in Atlanta, swept a season-opening three-game set against the Pirates after defeating Pittsburgh in the final two regular-season games of 2014.
Reds shortstop Zack Cozart benefited from Monday's day off after getting hit on the wrist by a pitch and bruising his right index finger while trying to field a grounder Sunday, and will likely play. The Pirates were swept in St. Louis in a three-game series over the weekend to complete a 4-5 road trip despite their starters posting a 0.90 ERA against the Cardinals. "People will say, 'Well, you lost those opportunities.' But know what? What's gone is gone," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle told reporters about not capitalizing on the work of the rotation. "Our best approach is to focus on what needs to be done today." Cincinnati's Michael Lorenzen makes his second career start and opposes Jeff Locke, who will face someone other than the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee for the first time this season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (2-1, 4.76)
Lorenzen yielded three runs - all solo homers - and eight hits while walking one and striking out five in 107 pitches covering five innings of an 8-3 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday in his major-league debut. "Get ahead of guys," the 23-year-old Californian told reporters when asked about the biggest lesson he learned. "You have to get ahead of guys and when you miss they have to be good misses. I missed to (Ryan) Braun and he let the whole stadium know I missed." Lorenzen, who played center field and served as the closer at Cal State Fullerton before becoming the 38th overall pick in the 2013 draft by Cincinnati, retired the side in order in the first inning before allowing his first long ball in the second as his mother Cheryl was being interviewed in the stands.
After posting a 1.93 ERA in two starts versus Milwaukee, Locke yielded 10 runs (nine earned) and 15 hits in 8 2/3 innings over his last two turns against Chicago, earning a no-decision before suffering his first loss, 6-2 at Wrigley Field on April 28. "The intent, everything's there. Just the execution of the pitch was not," the 27-year-old New Hampshire native told reporters. "When the fastball was out over the plate, these guys were ready to hit it." Locke is 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in seven starts against Cincinnati - 0-0, 2.19 in two outings last season - while faring well against Joey Votto and Jay Bruce (combined 5-for-27).
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds 3B Todd Frazier (.215, eight home runs, 17 RBIs), who is 3-for-22 - all homers - in his last five games, is 6-for-15 with a homer against Locke.
2. Pittsburgh went 94 1/3 innings without allowing a home run before Vance Worley yielded one to St. Louis' Matt Carpenter on Sunday, snapping their longest streak since a 97-inning run in 1976.
3. Cozart, who has started all 25 games this season, was 6-for-13 with a homer in his previous three contests before leaving Sunday's game in the fourth inning after going 0-for-1.