Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 1, Cincinnati 4

Cincinnati's Mat Latos will put his franchise-record streak of 21 consecutive starts without a loss on the line when the Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. Latos, who is 10-0 with a 2.80 ERA during that span, hasn't lost since an 8-5 setback to St. Louis on Aug. 24, 2012. Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton, who will make his second start following Tommy John surgery, reached 95 miles per hour on his fastball in his season debut - a loss to San Francisco on Thursday.

The Reds remained second in the National League Central - 2 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals - following their 4-1 victory over the Pirates on Monday. Cincinnati's offense was provided by Zack Cozart, Todd Frazier, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, who hit solo home runs. Pittsburgh, which fell four games behind St. Louis, has lost five of its last seven games away from home as it began a nine-game road trip.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Pittsburgh), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Charlie Morton (0-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mat Latos (6-0, 3.08)

Morton, who hadn't pitched a major-league game since May 29, 2012, allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits in five innings of a 10-0 setback against the Giants. "I wish it had gone better, but I think I can take quite a few positives from it," said Morton, who is 23-46 with a 5.04 ERA in 90 career games (89 starts). The 29-year-old is 4-6 with a 4.27 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 12 starts against the Reds and has handled Votto well (6-for-26), but not Bruce (6-for-17, two homers).

According to Elias Sports Bureau, a Reds pitcher hasn't won 11 straight decisions since Denny Neagle during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Latos, though, wasn't sharp in his last outing, when he yielded four runs and eight hits in six innings of a 6-5 loss to the Cubs at Chicago on Thursday. The 25-year-old is 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA in eight career starts against the Pirates, whose roster is hitting .198 against him - with Garrett Jones especially struggling (3-for-21, eight strikeouts).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Reds (43-28) continued their best start since 1995, the last time they won a playoff series.

2. The Pirates have used 11 starting pitchers this season after employing 10 in 2012.

3. Cincinnati and Pittsburgh share the major-league lead with 25 home victories.

PREDICTION: Reds 3, Pirates 2