Indians at Reds
The Cleveland Indians look to build off an inspiring sweep of the top team in the major leagues when they visit the struggling Cincinnati Reds on Monday for the opener of their four-game, home-and-home Ohio Cup series. The Indians were puttering along at one game over .500 before taking three in a row in Houston over the weekend as Yan Gomes homered and knocked in five runs in Sunday's 8-6 victory.
Gomes has hit safely in four straight contests and eight of his last nine while Jason Kipnis is 12-for-31 during his seven-game hitting streak and has recorded at least one RBI in five consecutive games for Cleveland, which has won six in a row against the Reds. Josh Tomlin hopes to keep it going for the Indians when he takes the mound in the opener against Scott Feldman. Cincinnati got off to a promising 19-15 start but has dropped eight of its last nine contests and surrendered 59 runs over its last seven games as it is just one-half game out of last place in the National League Central. The Reds' offense has not been the problem as Scott Schebler is 5-for-9 with two homers and five RBIs over his last three games while Eugenio Suarez (8-for-18, five RBIs in five contests) - among others - also has been producing.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (2-5, 6.86 ERA) vs. Reds RH Scott Feldman (2-4, 4.29)
Tomlin ended a stretch of five solid starts by allowing six runs and seven hits (two homers) over 2 1/3 innings in a loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Texas Tech product had given up 12 runs over 32 innings in his previous five outings and has walked just four in 40 2/3 frames this year. Zack Cozart is 7-for-11 with three extra-base hits and Joey Votto has homered twice versus Tomlin, who is 2-2 with a 4.55 ERA in five career starts against the Reds.
Feldman permitted seven runs - five earned - on five hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs after producing two of his best performances of the season. The 34-year-old native of Hawaii yielded just two runs and 11 hits over 16 frames in his previous two outings - both against San Francisco. Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion are 3-for-18 combined but have each homered against Feldman, who is 2-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 15 games (six starts) versus Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati OF Billy Hamilton has reached base safely in a career-high 21 straight games.
2. Encarnacion has knocked in six runs in his last six contests after going eight games in a row without an RBI.
3. Votto belted his 233rd homer on Sunday, tying Jay Bruce for seventh place on the franchise list.