Reds at Twins
The Cincinnati Reds held the dubious honor of playing the worst baseball in the majors throughout most of the first month of the season, but that title appears to have shifted over to the Minnesota Twins. Coming off their most explosive performance of the season, the Reds hope to keep their offense clicking Saturday as they continue their three-game series in Minnesota against the struggling Twins.
Cincinnati's 3-15 start cost manager Bryan Price his job, and the team dropped its first three games under interim manager Jim Riggleman in St. Louis before warming up the bats in the following series against Atlanta. After averaging nearly seven runs while earning a series split versus the Braves, the Reds improved to 3-2 over their last five games on Friday, when they pounded out a season-high 20 hits en route to a 15-9 win. A big part of Cincinnati's recent run-scoring prowess has come courtesy of Joey Votto, who reached base six times in the opener and homered for the fourth straight game. The Twins are in the middle of a league-worst eight-game slide and have struggled mightily to keep the opposition in check, allowing an average of 9.3 runs over that time.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Sal Romano (1-2, 4.78 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jake Odorizzi (1-2, 4.50)
Romano enjoyed his finest performance of the season Monday against Atlanta, earning his first win in seven turns dating back to last season after permitting two runs - one earned - in six frames. The outing was his first quality start in four tries since his season debut, while his one walk and five strikeouts were both his best marks of the year. Right-handed hitters are batting .218 versus Romano, who was pummeled for five runs over four innings by Boston in his only career interleague start last season.
After yielding one home run over 16 1/3 innings in his first three starts, Odorizzi has surrendered five in his last two turns - including two in Monday's loss to the New York Yankees. The 28-year-old permitted five runs on five hits and three walks in the outing, six days after giving up three homers among the four runs he allowed in five frames versus Cleveland. Odorizzi was charged with three runs across seven innings of a no-decision in his only career start against Cincinnati in June.
WALK-OFFS
1. Every Cincinnati hitter drove in at least one run Friday, and all but one player had at least one hit. Four Reds finished with at least three hits and six had at least two.
2. Minnesota 2B Brian Dozier, who was hitless in 12 at-bats over his previous three contests after beginning the season with a 17-game hitting streak, went 2-for-4 in the opener.
3. Cincinnati 2B Jose Peraza, who recorded four hits and produced his first multi-homer effort on Friday, is batting .440 and has scored seven times during a five-game hitting streak.