Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 22, 2018 ) Pittsburgh 9, Cincinnati 2

The Cincinnati Reds aren't going to the postseason but are content to battle some of the top teams in the National League Central and throw a wrench into the playoff race. The Reds will try to continue the momentum generated from a series win at St. Louis when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday afternoon for the opener of their three-game set.

Cincinnati did its part to impact the NL wild-card race last week by taking one from Milwaukee and two from the Cardinals, with its two losses to the Brewers coming in extra innings. The Reds possess some of the best offensive players in the NL and one of their three infield All-Stars - third baseman Eugenio Suarez - delivered the key blast Sunday with a two-run, tiebreaking homer in the 10th inning at St. Louis. The Pirates declared their intention to build for the future with a series of deals in advance of Friday's deadline but showed they still have some fight left by battling the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves in three close games over the weekend. Cincinnati will turn to veteran Matt Harvey on Monday while Pittsburgh counters with budding ace Trevor Williams.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Matt Harvey (6-7, 4.97 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Trevor Williams (11-9, 3.30)

Any hope the Reds had of dealing Harvey for a building block or two in front of the Aug. 31 trade deadline probably disappeared when he was knocked around for five runs and 11 hits in four innings against Milwaukee on Wednesday. The native of Connecticut was sharp in his previous three turns, allowing three runs and 14 hits in 18 2/3 frames. Harvey suffered through a disastrous outing against Pittsburgh on July 22, when he was ripped for eight runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The future for the Pirates should include Williams, who quietly is becoming one of the best pitchers in the NL Central. The 26-year-old struck out eight over six scoreless innings at St. Louis en route to a win on Wednesday and is 5-2 with a 0.75 ERA in his last eight starts. Williams is seeing Cincinnati for the first time since April 6, when he registered the win despite allowing two runs and a season-high 10 hits in 5 1/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett went 2-for-5 on Sunday to boost his NL-leading batting average to .319.

2. Pirates 1B Josh Bell is hitless in his last three games.

3. Pittsburgh leads the season series 9-4.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Reds 1