Philadelphia @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2010 ) Philadelphia 3, Cincinnati 7
Mike Leake doesn't play the waiting game. If he did, the rookie would've honed his craft in the minor leagues.
Instead, the eighth overall pick of the 2009 draft took the fast lane from Arizona State directly to "The Show" without any pesky pit stops in between.
In an effort to limit his pitch count this season, the Cincinnati Reds forced the 22-year-old hurler to be patient - albeit on a lesser scale.
After pushing back his last scheduled start against the woe-begotten Cleveland Indians, the NL Central-leading Reds (43-34) will send rookie to the hill against the Philadelphia Phillies (40-34) on Tuesday.
Leake (5-1, 2.92 ERA) permitted a pair of five-run outings before making a few minor adjustments in his last start. He allowed just one run in six innings in a no-decision against the Oakland Athletics on Monday.
With only one win in last seven outings, Leake would love to be backed by a strong offensive outburst - just like the one Johnny Cueto enjoyed in Monday's series opener.
Scott Rolen tormented his former team by belting a two-run homer and driving in three runs in a 7-3 victory over the Phillies.
Drafted by Philadelphia in 1993, the 35-year-old Rolen leads the Reds with 17 homers and 53 RBIs this season. He has also been on a tear of late, recording three homers and eight RBIs in his last seven games.
Rolen was not the only Red on fire on Monday.
Ramon Hernandez blasted a run-scoring double and Orlando Cabrera and Joey Votto had RBI singles for Cincinnati (43-34), which has won six of its last seven contests.
For all their success, however, the Reds still hold a tenuous grip on first place in the NL Central. Cincinnati leads the St. Louis Cardinals by a half-game atop the division.
Raul Ibanez launched a two-run shot and added an RBI single for Philadelphia (40-34), which fell for just the fourth time in its last 12 outings.
While veteran third baseman Placido Polanco is expected to return from a sore elbow that has sidelined him for three games, the Phillies will learn the severity of Chase Utley's injured right thumb on Tuesday. The talented second baseman is expected to have an MRI prior to the contest.
Utley injured his thumb trying to stretch a single into a double in the fourth inning of Monday's game. He remained in the contest until Juan Castro pinch-hit for him in the ninth inning.
The Phillies will send Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.53 ERA) to the hill. The 29-year-old Tennessee native has recorded a pair of quality starts after a half-season's worth of horrific ones.
The burly Blanton allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings against the woe-begotten Cleveland Indians on Thursday.