Indians at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds try to string two solid pitching performances together when they host the rival Cleveland Indians on Tuesday for the second contest of their four-game, home-and-home interleague series. The Reds had allowed 59 runs in seven games coming into the Ohio Cup series before Scott Feldman and three relievers earned them a 5-1 victory in the opener.
Scott Schebler belted a home run for the third consecutive game to lead Cincinnati, which also received a two-run single from Zack Cozart in winning for just the second time in 10 contests and snapping its six-game losing streak against the Indians. Rookie Amir Garrett will try to rebound from a rough start when he takes the mound for the Reds against Carlos Carrasco in the finale in Cincinnati before the series moves to Cleveland for two. Jason Kipnis homered to plate the only run for the Indians, extending his hitting streak to eight games while marking the sixth straight contest - and seventh in the last eight - in which he recorded an RBI. Cleveland entered the set having swept three games at Houston over the weekend but went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Monday.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (4-2, 2.60 ERA) vs. Reds LH Amir Garrett (3-3, 5.18)
Carrasco left his last start with pectoral tightness and was pushed back a few days but is expected to take the mound after allowing five runs over 3 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay. The 30-year-old Venezuelan produced six straight quality starts before his outing versus the Rays and has recorded 52 strikeouts with just 11 walks in 52 frames. Joey Votto is 4-for-9 with a homer against Carrasco, who is 2-0 with a 4.09 ERA in four career games (three starts) versus Cincinnati.
Garrett has posted five quality starts in seven outings during his rookie season but was knocked around by the Chicago Cubs last time out, when he permitted six runs over four innings. The 25-year-old Californian gave up two runs in seven frames while registering a season-high 12 strikeouts in his only interleague start against Baltimore as he prepares to face the Indians for the first time. Garrett has struggled with control, issuing 18 walks in 40 innings - including 15 in his last four starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians rookie OF Bradley Zimmer is 5-for-13 with three walks since striking out three times in his major-league debut on May 16.
2. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton has reached base safely in a career-high 22 consecutive games after going 2-for-4 on Monday.
3. Cleveland RHP Cody Allen and LHP Andrew Miller, the team's top two relievers, have combined to strike out 57 batters in 38 2/3 innings.