Cincinnati @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2013 ) Cincinnati 2, San Diego 4

Cincinnati pitcher Homer Bailey has never lost to the San Diego Padres and strives to earn another victory when the visiting Reds close the three-game set on Wednesday. Bailey is 4-0 in seven career starts against the Padres despite allowing nine homers in 44 innings and will attempt to halt Cincinnati’s five-game losing streak. San Diego has won four consecutive games after winning each the first two games of the series.

The Reds have matched their season high for consecutive losses and the last three defeats have come with the home team scoring in its last at-bat, including Tuesday when Nick Hundley smacked a two-run double in the eighth before Huston Street preserved the win with his 20th save. San Diego has won seven of its last nine games to move within one game of third-place Colorado in the National League West. Cincinnati has dropped to six games behind streaking Pittsburgh in the NL Central.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (5-10, 3.77 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Stults (8-9, 3.65)

Bailey has lost four consecutive starts since no-hitting the San Francisco Giants on July 2. He allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn and has fanned 27 batters in 25 innings during the winless stretch. Bailey has a 4.30 career ERA against the Padres.

Stults has lost consecutive starts and four of his last six outings. He has done a stellar job of keeping the ball in the park, having allowed one homer over his last 10 starts. Stults is 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA in 10 2/3 career innings against the Reds.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres OF Will Venable reached base four times on three hits and a walk Tuesday for his second three-hit outing in his last eight games.

2. Reds 3B Todd Frazier went 0-for-4 on Tuesday and is hitless in 16 at-bats over the last five games.

3. San Diego OF Carlos Quentin (knee) left after five innings Tuesday and may not be available for the finale.

PREDICTION: Padres 8, Reds 4