Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2014 ) Cincinnati 11, Pittsburgh 4

The Cincinnati Reds look to keep the bats hot and pick up a road sweep when they finish a three-game set with the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon. The Reds, who have won three straight and six of seven, produced 14 hits Wednesday in an 11-4 win, which came two games after a 13-4 pasting of Milwaukee. The run has pushed Cincinnati back to .500 for the first time since it was 11-11.

The Pirates are going in the other direction, having dropped three in a row since they pulled to .500 over the weekend. Despite the team's slide, rookie standout Gregory Polanco continues to sizzle, recording at least one hit in each of his first eight major-league games after going 2-for-4 with an RBI in Wednesday's loss. The Pittsburgh outfielder is 15-for-39 with six RBIs and eight runs scored in that span.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (7-3, 4.68 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (0-1, 3.98)

Bailey has won four straight decisions and the Reds have captured each of his last five starts after he opened the season with some inconsistency. Those ups and downs included a no-decision against Pittsburgh on April 14, when he allowed five runs on eight hits while striking out a season-high nine in an 8-7 loss. The 28-year-old is 8-5 with a 3.20 ERA in his career against the Pirates.

Locke will be making his fourth start of the season and third in a row since being recalled from the minors earlier in the month. He has allowed three runs in 15 innings over his last two outings, lasting eight frames in a no-decision at Miami on Friday. Locke is 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in five starts versus the Reds.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati is 60-52 all-time at PNC Park.

2. Reds 2B Brandon Phillips has registered two hits in each of his last four games.

3. Pirates OF Starling Marte is batting .439 during his nine-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Reds 5, Pirates 3