St. Louis @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 8, 2013 ) St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 4
The Cincinnati Reds finally got their offense somewhat untracked against their biggest rival and have a chance to win the series in Sunday night's rubber match against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. The Reds had been held to two runs or fewer in six straight games by the Cardinals before posting a 4-2 victory Saturday and pulling within three games of National League Central-leading St. Louis. Joey Votto had an RBI double - his first extra-base hit in nine games.
The Cardinals were averaging nearly eight runs per game in June before they were quieted Saturday. Still, St. Louis has four players riding hitting streaks of at least nine games, led by David Freese's 18-game run that is the longest active span in the majors. Matt Carpenter has hit safely in 17 games, while Allen Craig and Carlos Beltran have 12- and nine-game streaks, respectively.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (8-1, 2.76 ERA) vs. Reds RH Bronson Arroyo (6-5, 3.38)
Lynn has emerged as a force for St. Louis, limiting opponents to two runs or fewer in seven of his last nine starts. He held Arizona to one run and five hits over seven innings last time out and is 2-0 in his last three starts, having yielded only three runs in 20 innings. He already has beaten the Reds twice this season, permitting only two runs and nine hits over 13 innings.
Arroyo is 4-1 over his last five starts and has held the opposition scoreless in three of those outings. He had perhaps his best start of the year last time out, blanking Colorado on four hits over eight innings. Arroyo dropped a pair of decisions at St. Louis in April, giving up two runs in seven innings in one start and four runs over six frames in the other.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis has not lost a series since April 26-28 against Pittsburgh.
2. Arroyo has made 35 appearances (33 starts) against the Cardinals - his most vs. any team - and posted an 8-15 record and 4.54 ERA.
3. Beltran is 10-for-29 and LF Matt Holliday 15-for-49 with four homers against Arroyo.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Reds 3