Cincinnati @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2018 ) Cincinnati 7, Cleveland 5

After being on the wrong end of comebacks in each of their previous two games, the Cincinnati Reds shut down yet another late rally just in time in the opener of their interleague series with the Cleveland Indians. The Reds may not have any margin for error in the second contest of the three-game set in Cleveland on Tuesday, however, as Trevor Bauer tries to stop the Indians' three-game slide.

Cincinnati let a five-run advantage slip away Saturday and could not hold on to the lead on two occasions Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, dropping two of three over the weekend to end their 4-0-1 run in series play since June 19. The Reds nearly let another one get away Monday after going ahead 7-1 in the ninth inning, as the Indians struck for four runs in the bottom of the frame before Raisel Iglesias struck out Jose Ramirez with a runner on to end the threat. Bauer is 6-3 with a 2.05 ERA while averaging 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings over his last 10 starts and has surrendered only five homers this season - none in his last six outings. He'll be tasked with trying to stop the Indians' three-game home losing streak - the longest for the club since a five-game skid from May 16-27, 2017.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Sal Romano (5-8, 5.40 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (8-6, 2.45)

Romano continued to benefit from his offense in Wednesday's victory over the Chicago White Sox, recording the win despite surrendering a pair of homers among the four runs he allowed in five frames. The 24-year-old has given up 11 runs over his last three turns but is 2-1 over his last five outings in part because Cincinnati has averaged 6.2 runs in those contests. Romano is 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in five career interleague starts as he faces Cleveland for the first time.

Bauer struck out at least eight for the eighth straight outing and won for the third time in his last four trips to the mound Wednesday in Kansas City, allowing two runs while fanning eight over 7 2/3 innings. The UCLA product, who was named to his first All-Star team over the weekend, ranks third in the American League with 156 strikeouts. Joey Votto (3-for-8) has homered while Eugenio Suarez (1-for-10) has struggled versus Bauer, who yielded two runs in 5 1/3 frames last year in his only career start against Cincinnati.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Reds are 9-2 in interleague play this season after going 5-15 against the AL in 2017.

2. Cleveland OF Michael Brantley hasn't homered in a season-high 24 straight games after hitting 11 in his first 54 contests, but the three-time All-Star has as many RBIs as strikeouts over that span (10).

3. Votto hit his 266th career home run Monday to move past Matt Stairs for second place on the all-time list among Canadian-born players.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Reds 2