Arizona @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2010 ) Arizona 2, Cincinnati 7
The Cincinnati Reds got the business of finally clinching a winning record out of the way. Now they have the NL Central title in their sights.
The Reds try to move a step closer to a division crown on Tuesday when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks at Great American Ball Park in the second contest of their four-game series.
Cincinnati posted its 82nd win of the season Monday, assuring itself of a winning record for the first time since it went 85-77 in 2000. The victory also was its 44th at home - the most by the club since Great American Ball Park opened in 2003.
Sidelined for 12 games with pain in his right side, Jay Bruce returned to the lineup and recorded his fourth multi-homer performance of the year and second in five games. In his last five contests, Bruce has hit seven home runs and driven in 12 runs.
Drew Stubbs, Joey Votto and Orlando Cabrera also went deep and Bronson Arroyo tossed six solid innings for his 15th victory, matching his career high. Cabrera's blast was his first since May 5.
Monday's triumph helped increase the Reds' lead in the NL Central to seven games over St. Louis, which dropped a 5-1 decision to the Chicago Cubs. Cincinnati is seeking its first division title - and playoff berth - since winning the NL Central in 1995.
Travis Wood gets a rare home start for the Reds on Tuesday. Of his first 13 career outings, all but two have been on the road.
Wood has won five of his last six decisons. On Thursday, he settled for a no-decision in a 6-5 loss at the Colorado Rockies after giving up three runs and five hits in five innings.
The 23-year-old Wood will be making his second career appearance against the Diamondbacks. He posted the win in a 9-5 victory at Arizona on Aug. 19, allowing just one run and four hits in 6 1/3 frames.
In his two home starts this year, the left-handed Wood is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA.
The Diamondbacks, who have lost four in a row and eight of nine, look to end their skid behind Daniel Hudson. The rookie has won two consecutive decisions and five of six.
Since being acquired from the Chicago White Sox, Hudson has gone 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA in eight starts for the Diamondbacks. On Wednesday, He worked seven strong innings in a 3-1 triumph over the San Francisco Giants, allowing one run and five hits.
The 23-year-old was on the wrong end of a 6-2 loss to the Reds on Aug. 17, surrendering three runs and nine hits over seven innings but recording a career-high 10 strikeouts.
Hudson is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in three road starts for Arizona.
The Diamondbacks have lost five straight games away from home. They haven't had much luck against the Reds of late, either, losing all four meetings this year, nine of 10 over the last two seasons and 10 of 13 in the last three campaigns.