Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2019 ) Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 6

The Pittsburgh Pirates followed a string of nine straight losses with four consecutive wins, the latest one in dramatic fashion to start their final series of the year. The Pirates can match their longest winning streak of the season and continue their domination at home of the Cincinnati Reds in the second of a three-game set on Saturday night.

Rookie Kevin Newman supplied nearly all the offense for Pittsburgh in Friday's 6-5 victory, clubbing a three-run homer before delivering a walk-off two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth. Newman tied Al Oliver for the most walk-off homers (four) by a rookie in franchise history as the Pirates made it 11 straight home wins over Cincinnati. The Reds were one out from ending the skid at PNC Park thanks to Michael Lorenzen, who started the game in center field before coming in to pitch two scoreless innings in relief. Lorenzen put himself in position to earn the win with a tiebreaking RBI single in the top of the eighth inning before Newman sent Cincinnati to its fifth straight defeat overall.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Lucas Sims 2-1, 4.39 ERA) vs. Pirates RH James Marvel (0-3, 10.22)

With Trevor Bauer pushed back one day after he was initially scheduled to start Saturday's contest, the Reds are planning to go with a bullpen day, with Lucas Sims getting his fourth start as the opener. The former first-round draft pick last pitched on Tuesday, turning in his third straight scoreless appearance with two innings of one-hit ball versus Milwaukee, but the 25-year-old could be on a short leash. “He was a little under the weather,” manager David Bell said. “He didn’t have it too bad."

Marvel has lost each of his first three major league starts and struggled since a decent season debut against St. Louis, getting rocked in back-to-back outings at Milwaukee and the Chicago Cubs. The 26-year-old rookie, who went 7-0 over with a 2.67 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A Indianapolis before his promotion, was tagged for five runs and six hits over 3 1/3 innings by the Brewers a week ago. Marvel also was hit hard in his previous turn at Wrigley Field, giving up seven runs and nine hits in four innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds INF Freddy Galvis will miss the series while dealing with pneumonia.

2. Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds (hamstring) sat out his second straight game.

3. Reds INF/OF Derek Dietrich had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder Friday.

PREDICTION: Pirates 6, Reds 4