Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2010 ) Pittsburgh 3, Cincinnati 4
Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker has never been shy about making changes. He's making another one on Saturday.
Baker has moved former front-line starter Aaron Harang to the bullpen in favor of Edinson Volquez as the Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.
Harang (6-7, 5.15 ERA) has struggled since coming off the disabled list with back spasms. He's allowed seven runs in 6 1/3 innings in that time after seemingly turning his season around by winning four of six decisions over the months of May and June.
Volquez, who is working his way back from the minors after the Reds demoted him so he could fine tune his mechanics, went six innings for Single-A Dayton on Monday. He allowed two earned runs and six hits while striking out 10 in the game.
The Reds say that Volquez (3-2, 6.17 ERA) fixed the problem by adjusting his arm angle on the change-up.
The Reds, who have been pining for another outfielder, activated veteran Jim Edmonds on Friday. Edmonds, however, said he doesn't expect to play for a while as he tries to return from a right oblique injury.
Still, Baker feels the club needs depth in the outfield as Jay Bruce and Laynce Nix are still unavailable. Bruce could return to action to soon.
Cincinnati also activated rookie Mike Leake, but Leake is still battling a fatigued right shoulder and may not pitch for some time.
On Saturday, Pittsburgh will start Charlie Morton, who is in the midst of horrendous season. Morton is 1-11 overall with a 9.66 ERA.
Morton last won on May 5 when he lifted the Pirates to a 4-2 triumph over the Chicago Cubs. He's allowed 21 runs in his last nine innings and lost six straight starts.
The Reds have won five straight at home and nine of their last 10. Friday's 4-3 win in 12 innings against Pittsburgh in the series opener snapped Cincinnati's five-game losing streak.
Baker's club nearly blew Friday's game. Cincinnati held a 3-1 lead in the ninth but Francisco Cordero allowed four singles in the inning as Pittsburgh tied the game. It was Cordero's seventh blown save of the season.
The Reds loaded the bases with no one out in the 12th and scored the game-winner on a fielder's choice by Jonny Gomes.
Aside from Cordero's meltdown, the Reds' bullpen was fantastic. The rest of the pen allowed just one hit in 4 2/3 innings.
Coupled with the St. Louis Cardinals 8-6 loss at the Atlanta Braves, the Reds opened up a six-game lead in the NL Central.
Off the field, Friday's deadly explosion in San Bruno, Calif., was three blocks away from a condo owned by Baker.