Oakland @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2013 ) Oakland 1, Cincinnati 3
The Cincinnati Reds got the pitching performance they needed to break out of a funk. They go for their first set of back-to-back wins in nearly two weeks when they host the Oakland Athletics in the finale of a two-game interleague series on Wednesday. The Reds own a 4 1/2-game lead over Arizona for the second National League wild-card spot but still have hopes of tracking down the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds in the Central.
The Athletics are sitting in first place in the American League West and have a one-game lead over the Texas Rangers. Oakland managed five hits in a 3-1 loss on Tuesday and has dropped five of its last six while averaging 1.7 runs. Cincinnati is not lighting up the scoreboard offensively, either, but got 7 1/3 innings from starter Mat Latos on Tuesday to give its overworked bullpen a break.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Bartolo Colon (14-3, 2.50 ERA) vs. Reds RH Homer Bailey (6-10, 3.55)
Colon allowed two or fewer runs in seven straight starts and has posted 15 straight quality starts. The unlikely Cy Young candidate has not lost since July 3 and is 11-1 in his last 14 outings. Colon is 3-0 against the Reds in his long career but has never faced Joey Votto or Jay Bruce.
Bailey took a shutout into the ninth inning at San Diego last week and ended up allowing an unearned run in 8 1/3 frames to post his first win since his July 2 no-hitter. The 27-year-old owns a 31-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his last four starts and has punched out a total of 145 batters in 144 1/3 innings. Bailey surrendered four runs on six hits in six innings to suffer a loss at Oakland on June 26.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Red are expected to activate RHP Jonathan Broxton (sore right elbow) from the 15-day DL on Wednesday.
2. Oakland C John Jaso (concussion) is not yet ready to return and could be moved to the 15-day DL.
3. Votto is batting .458 in the last eight games.
PREDICTION: Athletics 3, Reds 1