Kansas City @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2010 ) Kansas City 6, Cincinnati 5
The Cincinnati Reds are still in first place and Johnny Cueto is looking for his first win in a while. On Saturday, the Reds will have a chance to improve their standing against the Kansas City Royals.
This interleague series opened Friday with Kansas City pulling out a 6-5 victory on 11 innings.
The Reds had twice as many hits as the Royals, 14-7, but Cincinnati left 11 men on base.
Yuniesky Betancourt had three hits and drove in four runs, including the game-winner in the 11th inning. Betancourt singled to center to plate Billy Butler to give the Royals the victory.
Despite the setback, the Reds remained atop the NL Central standings. It has been eight years since Cincinnati was in first place this late in the season - June 17, 2002 to be exact.
Cueto (5-1, 4.25 ERA) has been a big reason why the Reds are contenders this season, but he has fallen on hard times in his last couple of outings.
In his last two starts Cueto has allowed 12 runs and 20 hits in just 11 innings. He managed to escape with a no decision in both starts but is looking for his first win since May 27. The last five times Cueto has gotten a decision it has been a win.
Kansas City counters with an anti-Cueto in Brian Bannister, who is rolling as well as just about any starting pitcher in the American League.
Bannister (6-3, 4.50) was 1-3 on the season before his current run that has seen him win his last five starts. He has not allowed more than three runs in that span and has lowered his ERA from 5.17.
Bannister had given up a home run in nine straight starts before his last outing, a 7-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.
With all the success he has had in day games, Bannister likely wishes he could be moved back a day to Sunday. With the win in his last start, Bannister improved to 20-8 in day games for his career in 37 games - 36 of them starts.
Giving the Reds some added hope is that Bannister is a different pitcher at night with a 16-33 record.
Night or day, the Royals will want to see Bannister eat up some innings on Saturday after the bullpen got an intense workout on Friday.
Joakim Soria got the final out Friday with runners on first and third to end the contest. It was Soria's 15th save in 17 tries.