Reds at Rockies
The National League's surprise leader in RBIs is a third baseman who missed 16 games last month due to injury and plays for the cellar-dwelling Cincinnati Reds. Eugenio Suarez has driven in 40 runs in 36 games to rank as one of the few bright spots for the Reds, who continue their three-game series against the host Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Suarez crushed a two-run homer in Friday’s 5-4 loss and is 6-for-15 with two blasts and eight RBIs during his four-game hitting streak. Another strong candidate for July’s All-Star Game, Joey Votto added two hits and scored twice as the Reds opened their nine-game road trip by striking out 11 times. Colorado was shut out twice during their 4-5 road trip but saw some encouraging signs at home on Friday as Nolan Arenado homered after going 1-for-10 with six strikeouts in his previous three games. Charlie Blackmon, who recorded two hits in his previous 11 at-bats, went 2-for-4 while batting leadoff on Friday while David Dahl started in place of struggling right fielder Carlos Gonzalez and registered two hits from the second spot in the order.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (3-6, 4.53 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (3-1, 4.74)
Mahle lost his second straight start on Sunday, allowing four runs over six innings against the Chicago Cubs. The 23-year-old Californian has registered 52 strikeouts over 53 2/3 innings but has served up 13 home runs, including three in his last outing. A seventh-round draft pick of the Reds in 2013, Mahle has allowed multiple homers in half of his 10 turns this season.
Anderson is looking to bounce back from a rough outing against San Francisco on Sunday, when he yielded five runs over 5 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old native of Las Vegas has given up 13 runs - 12 earned - and 19 hits over 16 frames in his last three starts. Anderson earned the victory in his only previous start against the Reds, allowing two runs with seven strikeouts over six innings on May 19, 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blackmon is batting .330 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs in 28 career games against Cincinnati.
2. Votto is batting .358 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 29 career contests at Coors Field.
3. Colorado SS Trevor Story has played in 102 consecutive games, the fourth-longest active streak in the majors.