Atlanta @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2016 ) Atlanta 2, Cincinnati 8

The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds are struggling through miserable seasons, but the two worst teams in the National League send pitchers to the mound Tuesday who could play a key role in the near future. Cody Reed – ranked as the Reds’ third-best prospect according to MLB.com – makes his sixth major-league start for host Cincinnati, while the Braves counter with Tyrell Jenkins – Atlanta’s minor-league pitcher of the year in 2015 who gets his second career start.

The Reds limped into the All-Star break, losing 16 of 21 games, but improved to 3-1 since the break with Monday’s 8-2 victory. Cincinnati’s bullpen fired four scoreless innings in the series opener, lowering its ERA to 2.20 for July. Atlanta has dropped three of its past four games, being outscored 23-8 to fall to a major-league worst 32-61. Third baseman Adonis Garcia is hitting .421 in his past 10 contests, but the Braves have scored three runs or fewer 54 times in 93 games, going 6-48 in those contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Tyrell Jenkins (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Reds LH Cody Reed (0-4, 8.39)

The Braves moved Jenkins – ranked as the organization’s seventh-best prospect by MLB.com – to the bullpen a month before promoting him to the majors, and the 23-year-old has impressed in four relief appearances and a spot start July 6 at Philadelphia (one run, four hits, 4 2/3 innings). Jenkins does not rack up strikeouts, but relies on a good three-pitch mix (fastball, curveball and changeup) and solid location to generate groundball outs. Other than a four-inning relief appearance June 27 when he allowed four runs to Cleveland, Jenkins has limited opponents to three runs on 10 hits in 10 innings.

The 23-year-old Reed, who features a mid-90s fastball and a sweeping slider, has racked up 29 strikeouts in 24 2/3 big-league innings but has surrendered nine homers. He gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings of a 7-3 loss at Miami on July 10, just the second time in five games he has allowed fewer than two homers in a game. Acquired from Kansas City in the Johnny Cueto trade last July, Reed went 6-3 with a 3.20 ERA in 11 starts for Triple-A Louisville before being promoted in June.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Braves have hit 30 homers in their past 29 games, after hitting only 27 in their first 64 games.

2. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases Monday, and is 6-for-16 with five steals in his past four games.

3. Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte went hitless in four at-bats, ending his six-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Braves 6, Reds 5