Cincinnati @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2010 ) Cincinnati 2, San Francisco 11
Rookie Travis Wood has pitched so well for the Cincinnati Reds that early-season sensation Mike Leake is now in the bullpen and soon-to-be-returning veteran Aaron Harang may not regain his spot in the rotation.
The left-handed Wood seeks his fifth consecutive victory on Tuesday night when the Reds meet the San Francisco Giants in the second contest of a three-game series.
Wood is 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA in nine starts since being recalled from the minors after Harang injured his back in late June. He has allowed just six earned runs during his winning streak. Wood, however, was pitching well long before earning his first major-league win on July 28.
The hurler gave up just two hits in seven innings in his first career start and took a perfect game into the ninth against the Philadelphia Phillies in his third. His one-hit outing over nine innings resulted in a no-decision when the Reds dropped a 1-0 decision in 10 innings.
Wood also lost, 1-0, in his fourth start before finally getting that elusive first win in start No. 6 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Wood has allowed four or fewer hits in six of his nine starts and has given up just 36 hits in 57 1/3 innings. He has 46 strikeouts while limiting opposing hitters to a .176 average.
San Francisco won Monday’s series opener, 11-2, after belting out 17 hits and Matt Cain tossed eight solid innings to hand the Reds only their second loss in the last 10 games.
Jonathan Sanchez looks to give the Giants back-to-back wins when he takes the mound on Tuesday.
Sanchez was dominating against Philadelphia in his last start. The left-hander gave up just one run and two hits in eight innings.
Sanchez (9-8, 3.47 ERA) has made three previous career starts against Cincinnati, going 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA.
Cincinnati defeated Sanchez in early June when Sanchez allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings.
The Reds lost two outfielders during Monday’s game as Jim Edmonds and Laynce Nix left the contest with injuries.
Edmonds strained his right oblique muscle while swinging the bat in the sixth inning. Nix sprained his left ankle while running the bases in the third.
Cincinnati is expected to make some roster moves prior to Tuesday’s contest.
San Francisco’s Aubrey Huff homered and had three RBIs on Monday and now has 22 homers and 73 RBIs.
Huff has a solid chance of a 90-RBI season and a slight shot at driving in 100 runs for the fourth time in his career. Huff twice topped 100 RBIs for Tampa Bay and had a career-high 108 for Baltimore in 2008.