Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2018 ) Pittsburgh 8, Cincinnati 4

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon has already established a career high for victories and will go for his 15th win when he makes his final start of the year Saturday in the second of a three-game series at the Cincinnati Reds. Taillon is unbeaten in his last seven outings and has not allowed more than three earned runs in 21 straight starts.

Colin Moran homered and had three RBIs while Elias Diaz added a solo shot as Pittsburgh (81-78) clinched a winning season for the first time since 2015. It was the seventh consecutive victory in the series for the Pirates, who have outscored Cincinnati 50-15 during the winning streak. The Reds tumbled to their sixth straight loss overall despite a career-best five-hit performance from Tucker Barnhart, who finished a double shy of the cycle. Eugenio Suarez belted a two-run shot as part of a 3-for-5 effort to boost his team-high totals to 33 homers and 103 RBIs.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Jameson Taillon (14-9, 3.16 ERA) vs. Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-2, 3.35)

Taillon has pitched spectacularly over the last six weeks, posting a 5-0 mark while allowing a total of eight runs over his last seven starts. He won his fifth consecutive decision with seven innings of one-run ball at the Chicago Cubs on Monday and struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings versus Kansas City in his previous turn. Taillon is 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA in four starts versus the Reds this year.

Since making 21 starts as a rookie in 2015, Lorenzen has pitched solely in relief until Cincinnati inserted him back into the rotation earlier this month. He acquitted himself well in his first start at Milwaukee on Sept. 18, limiting the Brewers to one run on one hit over four innings. Lorenzen struggled at Miami on Sunday, however, lasting only four innings and surrendering four runs and nine hits.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Starling Marte is 7-for-18 at Great American Ball Park this year.

2. Reds 1B Joey Votto is 6-for-16 during a four-game hitting streak.

3. Pittsburgh 3B Jung Ho Kang had a pinch-hit single in his season debut, his first hit since a three-run homer on Oct. 1, 2016.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Reds 2