Cincinnati @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 11, 2015 ) Kansas City 5, Cincinnati 2

Having taken two of three from the New York Yankees in a battle of division leaders, the Kansas City Royals continue their eight-game homestand with a two-game set against the reeling Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. The Royals have won six of nine following Sunday's 6-0 victory to maintain their slim edge over Detroit atop the American League Central.

With its next five games against National League foes Cincinnati and St. Louis, Kansas City will look to duplicate its success from a year ago, when it was a major league-best 15-5 in interleague play. Ace Johnny Cueto will try to pick up the pieces after the Reds' pitching staff was left in tatters by San Francisco over the weekend. Manager Bryan Price hinted at changes after his beleaguered club was shredded for 30 runs and 43 hits over the past three games. "If we're going to be competitive, we have to get a lot out of our pitching staff," Price said. "Who the 12 are going to be is up in the air."

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (3-3, 2.93 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (2-3, 5.36)

Cueto did not factor in the decision in Thursday's 4-3 victory over San Francisco but he went seven strong innings, yielding two runs on five hits while striking out nine. It marked the seventh time in eight outings that Cueto has pitched at least seven innings and halted a three-start stretch in which he surrendered six home runs. Cueto has split a pair of decisions against Kansas City, giving up five earned runs in 12 innings.

Ventura suffered his third straight defeat and saw his winless drought reach five starts when he was knocked around for five runs and 10 hits in seven innings at Texas. The 23-year-old Ventura, who has allowed 14 runs over his last three turns, will be making his first start at home in more than a month. He surrendered four hits in each of his first three starts but that number has risen in all four outings since.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals C Salvador Perez homered Sunday to extend his hitting streak to five games.

2. Reds RF Jay Bruce emerged from a 4-for-38 slump by going 5-for-9 with two homers in the last two games.

3. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer has hit safely in 13 of 14 games.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Reds 3