Cleveland @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( May 27, 2013 ) Cleveland 2, Cincinnati 4
Baseball is thriving in Ohio this season as Cleveland and Cincinnati hit Memorial Day within striking distance of division leaders. Zach McAllister and Mat Latos are big reasons why the Indians and Reds are in contention, and the 25-year-olds - born on consecutive days in December 1987 - meet Tuesday when Cleveland visits Cincinnati. McAllister ranks 11th in the American League in ERA and has not yielded more than three earned runs in a start all season, while Latos is unbeaten in 10 starts.
Cincinnati grabbed the series opener Monday thanks to Joey Votto’s eighth-inning homer. The Reds have won 13 of their past 16 contests and are within one game of first-place St. Louis in the National League Central. The Indians have dropped four in a row and slipped 2 1/2 games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), Fox Sports Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Zach McAllister (4-3, 2.89 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mat Latos (4-0, 3.17)
McAllister has found himself in his past five starts, going 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA and a .238 opponents’ batting average. The Indians have scored three or more runs six times in his nine starts and McAllister has been stellar against the heart of opposing batting orders – holding the fourth, fifth and sixth hitters to a .171 average. McAllister lasted five innings against Boston in his last start Thursday, allowing three earned runs on five hits.
Latos was better in April (1.83 ERA) than May (5.19), but has kept the Reds in games all season. Run support certainly has helped - Cincinnati has scored at least five runs in seven of his 10 starts while Latos has limited the opposition to a .184 average with runners in scoring position. He gave up four earned runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings Wednesday in a no-decision against the Mets.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland holds a 42-40 record in the series, but has lost five in a row at Great American Ballpark.
2. Votto leads the NL in hitting at .351.
3. The Indians have stolen 32 bases since April 22.
PREDICTION: Reds 5, Indians 3