Cleveland @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2018 ) Cincinnati 4, Cleveland 19

Yandy Diaz has made the best of two short stints in the major leagues this season, and the 27-year-old looks to remain hot when his Cleveland Indians visit the Cincinnati Reds on Monday for the opener of their three-game interleague series. Diaz, who was recalled from the minors for the second time this year after Edwin Encarnacion went on the disabled list Saturday, is 10-for-19 in five games with the Indians in 2018 and knocked in two runs during Sunday’s 9-7 road win against the Chicago White Sox.

Jason Kipnis also recorded two RBIs and Melky Cabrera belted a three-run homer in Sunday’s victory as Cleveland improved to 6-2 in its last eight contests as it owns a 12-game lead in the American League Central. Mike Clevinger attempts to snap a six-game winless stretch when he takes the mound in the series opener for the Indians while Homer Bailey hopes to begin turning around his season for the Reds. Cincinnati, which won two of three at Cleveland from July 9-11 to open the Ohio Cup, could not complete a three-game sweep on Sunday as Arizona launched five homers en route to a 9-2 triumph. Jose Peraza (8-for-26) and Billy Hamilton (7-for-21, five stolen bases) bring six-game hitting streaks into the series for the Reds while Eugenio Suarez has gone 14-for-40 this month.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mike Clevinger (7-7, 3.38 ERA) vs. Reds RH Homer Bailey (1-9, 6.19)

Clevinger limited Minnesota to one run on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings last time out but came away without a victory for the sixth straight outing. The 27-year-old Floridian has gone 0-2 while allowing eight runs and 19 hits with 26 strikeouts over 24 2/3 frames in his last four starts. Clevinger’s winless streak began with a 7-5 loss to Cincinnati on July 9, when he struck out 11 but permitted five runs over six innings.

Bailey also is winless in his last six trips to the mound, including a loss to the Mets in New York last Monday in which he yielded five runs and 11 hits over 3 1/3 innings. The 32-year-old Texan has given up at least four runs in four of his six starts since recording his lone victory on May 12 at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yan Gomes is 3-for-5 with an RBI versus Bailey, who is 3-3 with a 5.44 ERA in eight career starts against the Indians and 6-9 with a 5.66 mark in 20 interleague contests.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto, who has homered against Clevinger, is two RBIs away from tying Ted Kluszewski (886) for seventh place on the franchise list.

2. Cleveland All-Star SS Francisco Lindor went 1-for-13 in the last series and is one run shy of reaching 100 for the first time in his career.

3. The Reds are 10-5 in interleague play this season and 18-9 against the Indians in their last 27 meetings.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Reds 3