Chicago @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 3, Cincinnati 2
The Cincinnati Reds look to increase their lead in the National League Central with the rubber match of their three-game set with the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on Sunday.
The Reds missed a chance to move five games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals by dropping a 3-2 decision against the Cubs Saturday.
Kosuke Fukudome and Xavier Nady both had home runs in the win while Cubs starter Randy Wells allowed two runs on six hits over six innings to break a personal five-game losing skid. Bronson Arroyo threw seven innings of three-run ball, but allowed two home runs in the loss.
The Reds turn to left-hander Travis Wood (4-2, 3.38) after Edinson Volquez, today’s original scheduled starter, was sent to the bullpen to work out some kinks in his delivery. This will be the 11th start of the year for the rookie.
Wood has won four of his last five, but was on the wrong end of a 16-5 decision while visiting the San Francisco Giants in his last outing. Wood gave up seven runs on seven hits over four innings of work.
Wood gets by with a decent fastball and a good changeup while adding a cutter that he’s been working on for the last year or so into the mix. On the year he has 49 strikeouts compared to 17 walks in 61 1/3 innings.
Chicago counters with a rookie of its own in Casey Coleman (1-1, 5.68 ERA), who is just coming off his first big league win. Coleman shut down the Nationals in Washington, allowing just three hits and an earned run over 6 1/3 innings in a 9-1 win last week. He struck out three while walking two in 103 pitches.
Coleman will face a Reds lineup that is still missing some big parts, especially coming off the bench. Laynce Nix, Brandon Phillips and Miguel Cairo are questionable for today’s game, while Orlando Cabrera and Jim Edmonds continue to sit on the DL.
Chicago comes into this game having won four of its five games under interim manager Mike Quade. The Cubs have given up just 14 runs over that span, a big improvement considering they allowed 16 runs on Lou Piniella’s last day in the dugout last Sunday.
Joey Votto continues to swing a hot bat for the Reds. He hit his 32nd homer of the year Saturday and now sits with a .326 average and a career-best 92 RBIs. Votto is hitting.259 with five homers and 11 RBIs against Chicago on the year.
Cincinnati has taken 11 of its 15 games against Chicago this year.