Cincinnati @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2018 ) Cincinnati 1, Miami 5

Austin Dean has struggled to adjust to major-league pitching like most rookies, but he showed why he may be ready to stick around with the Miami Marlins for good sooner rather than later. The 24-year-old outfielder, who is one of Miami's top prospects, attempts to follow up the best offensive performance of his brief career Sunday as the host Marlins wrap up their season series against the Cincinnati Reds with the finale of their four-game set.

Dean, who earned his promotion on Aug. 15 after batting .345 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs over 109 combined games at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans, flashed at times over his first 28 contests with Miami but entered Saturday batting just .204. After receiving the club's Minor League Player of the Year award during a pregame ceremony on Friday, the former fourth-round draft pick singled home a run during a two-run fifth inning and hit a two-run homer during a three-run sixth in Saturday's 5-1 victory. Cincinnati fell for the seventh time in 10 games and has struggled for offense throughout the slide, scoring fewer than two runs six times while totaling only 13. The Reds also have had their fair share of problems in recent years in Miami, dropping 10 of their last 11 contests at Marlins Park.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-1, 3.03 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Trevor Richards (3-9, 4.95)

Lorenzen was strong over four innings in Milwaukee on Tuesday in his first start since 2015, permitting an unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out three. The Cal State Fullerton product is 4-9 with a 5.25 ERA in 22 career starts and went 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 42 appearances out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. Derek Dietrich is 3-for-9 with two doubles against Lorenzen, who is 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in seven career games (two starts) versus Miami.

Richards has dropped all four of his decisions since notching his last win on July 14 but settled for a no-decision Monday against Washington after allowing four runs and a pair of homers in six innings. The 25-year-old rookie has struggled since going 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in July, surrendering 30 runs - 28 earned - over 37 1/3 frames in eight turns. Right-handed hitters are batting .289 versus Richards, who will face Cincinnati for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Saturday's victory guaranteed the Marlins their fourth consecutive season series win over the Reds.

2. Cincinnati rookie OF Gabriel Guerrero ended the team's 19-inning scoreless streak in the eighth inning with his first major-league homer.

3. Miami has held Cincinnati to fewer than two runs in three of the clubs' six meetings this season.

PREDICTION: Reds 3, Marlins 1