Cincinnati @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2016 ) Cincinnati 1, Cleveland 3

The battle of Ohio kicks off on Monday when the Cincinnati Reds visit the Cleveland Indians for the first of a four-game, home-and-home series. The intrastate rivals will play two in Cleveland before heading to Cincinnati for two more on Wednesday to complete the interleague battle.

The Indians have dropped back-to-back series and are coming off two straight losses to the Minnesota Twins in which they totaled four runs. Cleveland went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base in Sunday’s 5-1 setback and is missing a big bat in the middle of the order with Michael Brantley (shoulder inflammation) being placed on the 15-day disabled list over the weekend. The Reds snapped a three-game slide with a 9-4 victory at Philadelphia on Sunday despite star first baseman Joey Votto going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. Votto is 0-for-10 with three strikeouts in his last three games to drop his batting average to .215.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH John Lamb (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Indians RH Cody Anderson (0-3, 7.31)

Lamb was removed from a start against Milwaukee on May 8 with a bruised thumb and got some extra time to rest due to a rainout during the week. The 25-year-old has allowed a total of two runs on eight hits in 10 innings over two starts while striking out seven. Lamb, who made his major-league debut after arriving in a trade last summer from Kansas City, has never faced an American League opponent.

Anderson was used in relief during a 16-inning marathon at Houston on Wednesday and ended up yielding a walk-off home run after breezing through his first three innings. The California native is having some trouble keeping the ball in the park with at least one home run allowed in each of his six appearances. Anderson was ripped for five runs on nine hits – including three homers – over 4 2/3 innings in his lone start against a National League club this season on April15 against the New York Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds OF Adam Duvall is 7-for-11 with four doubles in the last three games.

2. Indians OF Rajai Davis is 0-for-18 in his last four games and got the day off on Sunday.

3. Cleveland took five of six from Cincinnati last season and leads the all-time series 50-45.

PREDICTION: Reds 7, Indians 5