Cincinnati @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2016 ) Cincinnati 8, Texas 2

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce frequently has had his name mentioned in trade rumors, and the slugger certainly is increasing his value with his hot bat. Bruce went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in Cincinnati's 8-2 victory over Texas in the opener of their two-game interleague series and looks to continue his strong month when the Reds visit the Rangers for the finale on Wednesday.

Bruce is batting .306 with six homers and 22 RBIs this month and has recorded multi-RBI performances in five of his last nine games while raising his season count to 55 - second-most in the National League. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto sat out Tuesday with an illness, but that didn't prevent the Reds from racking up 11 hits while ending the Rangers' seven-game winning streak. Putting together another gaudy offensive performance will be tough for the Reds as Texas' Cole Hamels dominated the club when he was with Philadelphia, compiling a 9-1 record and 1.96 ERA in 14 career starts. Jurickson Profar hit a two-run homer for the Rangers on Tuesday and is batting .344 in June.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Dan Straily (4-3, 3.66 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Cole Hamels (7-1, 2.88)

Straily experienced his worst outing of the season on Thursday, when he gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of a loss to Atlanta. The rough performance followed consecutive seven-inning stints in which he gave up totals of three runs and seven hits against Washington (a no-decision) and Oakland (a victory). Straily is 3-2 with a 4.47 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) versus the Rangers from his time with the Athletics and he dominated Elvis Andrus (1-for-20) and Mitch Moreland (1-for-12) during the tenure.

Hamels is coming off a strong outing against St. Louis in which he gave up three hits over 7 2/3 innings in a 1-0 victory. He has allowed just three runs and 11 hits in 21 2/3 frames over his last three turns and has yielded five or fewer hits in eight of his 14 starts. Hamels has shut down Votto (3-for-20) and Bruce (6-for-29, two homers) but has struggled to retire Zack Cozart (6-for-15).

WALK-OFFS

1. Cozart went 2-for-4 with a homer, a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored on Tuesday.

2. Texas RF Shin-Soo Choo was hitless in four at-bats Tuesday and is 4-for-21 over his last five games.

3. Cincinnati activated RHP Raisel Iglesias (shoulder) from the disabled list on Tuesday, and the Opening Day starter will be used in relief.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Reds 2