Cincinnati @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( May 16, 2013 ) Cincinnati 5, Miami 3

After winning seven of nine games before the All-Star break, the Cincinnati Reds are quickly fading out of contention in the wide-open National League Central. The injury-plagued Reds look to turn things around when they visit the red-hot Miami Marlins on Thursday for the opener of a four-game series. Cincinnati has lost 10 of 12 while scoring a total of 24 runs in that span to fall six games behind first-place Milwaukee in the Central and the Marlins have won nine of their last 11 contests.

Johnny Cueto owns one of the Reds’ two victories after the break and attempts to win his fourth consecutive decision while opposing Tom Koehler. The Reds, without injured Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto in the middle of the lineup, produced their highest output since July 13 in the 5-4 loss to Arizona on Wednesday. Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton snapped a 10-game homer drought with his 24th in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to Washington.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET; MLB Network, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (11-6, 2.08 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Tom Koehler (7-7, 3.91)

Cueto has allowed three or fewer runs in nine straight starts while going 6-1, including seven shutout innings Saturday in a 1-0 victory over Washington. The Dominican Republic native is among the league leaders in WHIP (0.93) and ERA and has struck out 157 in 155 2/3 innings. Garrett Jones is 11-for-39 with a homer versus Cueto, who is 2-1 with a 5.27 ERA in five career starts against Miami.

Koehler battled through five innings, giving up three runs and nine hits, to beat Houston in his last outing. The 28-year-old Bronx, N.Y. native yielded three or fewer runs in six of his last seven starts and has given up 108 hits in 124 1/3 innings overall. Koehler, who has not given up an unearned run this season, pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings as a reliever against Cincinnati in 2013.

WALK-OFFS

1. Miami’s smooth-fielding SS Adeiny Hechavarria is 12-for-32 while hitting safely in eight of his last nine contests.

2. Cincinnati RF Jay Bruce was placed on the bereavement list Tuesday after a death in the family and is expected to rejoin the team Friday.

3. The Marlins’ pitching staff boasts a 2.64 ERA over the last 11 games, allowing two or fewer runs in six of them.

PREDICTION: Marlins 4, Reds 3