Reds at Nationals
Joey Votto was a notable admission from the National League All-Star roster and is taking out his frustration over that decision on the Washington Nationals. Votto and the Cincinnati Reds aim for a three-game sweep when they visit the Nationals in the finale on Wednesday.
Votto is 5-for-10 in the series and homered off Max Scherzer among three RBIs in Tuesday’s 5-0 triumph. That support is plenty for the Reds pitching staff, which has allowed a total of two runs in the first two games of the series as most of the roster operates under a microscope with the club expected to be one of the few trade deadline sellers when action heats up after the All-Star break. The Nationals have scored two or fewer runs in five of their last seven games and managed two hits off Johnny Cueto in Tuesday’s setback. Washington will try to generate more offense against Cincinnati starter Michael Lorenzen, who goes up against Washington lefty Gio Gonzalez in the finale.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 3.58 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (6-4, 4.16)
Lorenzen had a string of three straight starts allowing two or fewer runs come to an end against Milwaukee on Friday, when he was reached for three runs on five hits and a pair of walks in four innings to suffer the loss. The rookie gave up a pair of home runs in that outing and has surrendered at least one in five of his last six turns. Lorenzen faced Washington on May 31 and had an unusual day, yielding two runs on only one hit but walking a career-high six in 6 1/3 frames.
Gonzalez has been dominant in back-to-back wins, allowing a total of one run and nine hits in 14 innings to earn victories over Pittsburgh and San Francisco. The Florida native did not walk a batter for the first time in 15 starts this season against the Giants last Friday. Gonzalez was not quite as sharp against Cincinnati on May 30, when he was reached for four runs on seven hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings without being involved in the decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington CF Denard Span (back spasms) and 3B Yunel Escobar (hamstring) both sat out Tuesday and are day-to-day.
2. Cincinnati LHP David Holmberg will be recalled on Thursday to make his season debut.
3. Votto’s five hits in the series match his total from the previous 11 games.