Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 8, Cincinnati 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are used to playing meaningless regular-season finales, but for the first time in 21 years they will feel good about it. The Pirates clinched the top wild card in the National League on Saturday, earning them the right to host a playoff game for the first time since 1992 and making Sunday's game at the Cincinnati Reds a mere formality. Pittsburgh wrapped up home field in style, winning the first two games of the series and belting six homers on Saturday.

The Reds have staggered to the finish line, riding a four-game losing streak and scoring a mere six runs in that span. The only solace they could take out of Saturday's loss came when X-rays on Brandon Phillips came back negative after he fouled a ball off his left shin. Johnny Cueto was originally scheduled to pitch the series finale, but instead will start Tuesday's wild-card game after Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker revealed that Mat Latos is battling a sore arm.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, TBS, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Brandon Cumpton (1-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. Reds RH Greg Reynolds (1-2, 5.55)

Cumpton will make his second appearance overall and first start since earning his first major-league win with seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball against St. Louis on July 30. Two of Cumpton's five career appearances have come against the Reds. He allowed one earned run in five innings at Cincinnati on June 20 and threw three scoreless innings in relief against the Reds last Sunday.

Reynolds has made only two appearances since his only win of the season, when he beat Colorado with eight innings of three-run ball on Aug. 31. He was knocked around by the Chicago Cubs for four runs (three earned) on six hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief on Sept. 10 and lasted 3 2/3 innings in a start at Houston on Sept. 18, giving up two runs on four hits. Reynolds has surrendered a homer in four straight outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates 2B Neil Walker has six homers in his last nine games.

2. Reds RF Jay Bruce's two-run double on Saturday gave him 22 RBIs in September and 109 on the season.

3. Pittsburgh's six-homer eruption Saturday was its most since August 2007.

PREDICTION: Reds 5, Pirates 3