Reds at Rays
The Cincinnati Reds put an end to a pair of nine-game skids in the opener of a seven-game road trip and will look to make it back-to-back wins when they resume a three-game set at the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Cincinnati had dropped nine straight overall and nine in a row away from home prior to Monday's 7-3 victory.
Scooter Gennett homered for the second day in a row, driving in five runs in that span to give him 19 RBIs over the last 11 games for the Reds. Joey Votto had an 11-game hitting streak halted Sunday but rebounded with a three-hit game in the series opener to boost his batting average to a season-high .310. Rays shortstop Tim Beckham is day-to-day after he was hit in the left hand by a pitch, but X-rays were negative. Tampa Bay second baseman Daniel Robertson knocked in only eight runs in his first 48 games this season, but he has eight RBIs in the past five contests after belting a two-run homer in the series opener.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Amir Garrett (3-5, 6.91 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (5-5, 4.17)
Garrett came through with a much-needed solid performance at San Diego on Wednesday, striking out eight in six innings of two-run ball while settling for a no-decision. He was knocked out by a comebacker off his hand in his previous turn and lasted only 2 2/3 innings at Atlanta on June 4, giving up nine runs. Garrett has surrendered 16 of his 17 home runs over his last eight starts.
Cobb has recorded back-to-back quality starts since a shellacking in Seattle on June 3, when he was bludgeoned for a career-worst nine hits and 14 runs. He limited Oakland to one run on four hits over six innings in his subsequent start and worked 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball (two earned) last time out at Detroit. Cobb is holding opponents to a .230 batting average at home.
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds RF Scott Schebler has hit 12 of his 19 homers on the road.
2. Trevor Plouffe, acquired by Tampa Bay over the weekend, served as DH and went 1-for-4 in his Rays debut on Monday.
3. The Reds placed RHP Bronson Arroyo and SS Zack Cozart were placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday.