Cincinnati @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 10, 2018 ) Cincinnati 7, Cleveland 4

The battle for the Ohio Cup shaped up as a mismatch with last-place Cincinnati taking on first-place Cleveland in a three-game interleague series. However, the visiting Reds ignored the script and can complete a three-game sweep of the Indians with a win in Wednesday night's series finale following a stunning comeback 24 hours earlier.

Cincinnati trailed by four runs and was one out from defeat when it scored seven times in the ninth for a 7-4 victory, sending Cleveland to its season high-tying fourth consecutive defeat. Joey Votto provided the decisive blow with a bases-clearing, three-run double and Adam Duvall added a two-run double for the Reds, who improved to 7-3 in their last 10 and have scored at least five runs nine times in that span. All-Stars Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor each homered -- their 25th and 24th, respectively -- for the Indians, who will be looking to avoid dropping five straight at home for the first time since May 2017. Lindor is 13-for-37 with four homers, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored in nine games this month.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (7-6, 3.66 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (9-5, 4.28)

Mahle is coming off his longest outing of the season, yielding one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings to beat the Chicago Cubs and improve to 4-0 in his last eight starts. The 23-year-old struck out a career-high 12 over 5 2/3 innings in his previous turn but had to settle for a no-decision after giving up three runs and six hits. Mahle is 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 10 road starts.

Carrasco had put together two of his best starts of the season before he took a line drive off his pitching arm on June 16 and landed on the 10-day disabled list. He finally returned on Friday and picked up the win against Oakland, giving up two homers and three runs over 5 1/3 innings. Votto is 5-for-11 with a home run against Carrasco, who is 2-0 with a 4.45 ERA versus the Reds.

WALK-OFFS

1. Lindor and Ramirez have homered in the same game nine times this season, the most by any tandem.

2. Cincinnati is 10-2 in interleague play this season.

3. Indians RF Lonnie Chisenhall (calf) will miss 8-10 weeks while RHP Josh Tomlin (hamstring) went on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Reds 3