Oakland @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2013 ) Cincinnati 0, Oakland 5
The Cincinnati Reds’ beleaguered pitching staff is unable to compensate for its inconsistent offense right now. The Oakland Athletics, who visit the Reds for a two-game interleague set starting Tuesday, are in their own offense funk as they try to hold off the Texas Rangers atop the American League West. The Athletics have dropped four of their last five, including two of three to the Rangers over the weekend.
Oakland’s problems lie on the offense, where it has put up an average of 1.8 runs in the last five games. That lineup should get a chance to find itself against Cincinnati, which was lit up for 31 runs in three games against St. Louis over the weekend. The Reds are a comfortable 4 1/2 games up on the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second National League wild card spot, but have lost seven of nine.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Dan Straily (6-5, 4.41 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mat Latos (10-3, 3.38)
Straily has lost three straight starts since being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and has failed to make it out of the fifth inning in either of the last two. The 24-year-old was knocked around for 10 runs (seven earned) and 13 hits in nine combined innings against Toronto and the Los Angeles Angels. Straily has never faced the Reds, but is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in three career interleague starts.
Latos has surrendered two or fewer earned runs in each of his last three starts but has completed seven innings only once in his last six turns. The 25-year-old held San Diego to two runs in six innings last time out but did not factor in the decision. Latos is making his first start against Oakland and is 7-3 with a 4.07 ERA in 14 career interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Reds lost two at Oakland by a combined 12-3 on June 25 and 26.
2. Athletics SS Jed Lowrie is 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs against Latos in his career.
3. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto is 9-for-20 with nine walks in the last seven games.
PREDICTION: Reds 4, Athletics 3