Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 24, 2015 ) Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 2

The Cincinnati Reds have been a disappointment for much of the season but they have been a nemesis for Central Division rival Pittsburgh. The Reds have won six of the eight meetings between the clubs this season and aim for their third series victory over the host Pirates in the finale of a three-game set Thursday night.

Cincinnati right fielder Jay Bruce continued his tear in Wednesday's 5-2 victory, going 2-for-5 with a run-scoring double. Bruce is 14-for-30 with nine RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak but is only 3-for-31 with 11 strikeouts against A.J. Burnett, Pittsburgh's scheduled starter Thursday. The Pirates' offensive struggles continued Wednesday as they went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position to fall to 1-4 in the last five games, scoring a combined five runs in the losses. Bad starts are also plaguing Pittsburgh, which has permitted 18 first-inning runs over the last five contests.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Anthony DeSclafani (5-5, 3.48 ERA) vs. Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (6-3, 2.05)

DeSclafani will be making his third start against Pittsburgh this season and first since May 7, when he was reached for three runs on seven hits in four walks over five innings. He had a better effort against the Pirates in his season debut, going six innings and limiting them to two runs on five hits. The 25-year-old rookie had a five-start unbeaten streak snapped last time out, giving up three runs over five innings to Miami.

Burnett was nearly unhittable through his first 13 starts, permitting two runs or fewer on 11 occasions following nine scoreless innings versus Philadelphia on June 14. That wasn't the case last time out at Washington, when he gave up a career-high 14 hits but managed to minimize the damage to three earned runs in a 4-1 loss. He has allowed two runs in each of his two starts versus the Reds this season to improve to 8-6 against them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 3B Todd Frazier has five homers and 10 RBIs over the past seven games.

2. The Pirates placed OF/1B Corey Hart on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Chris Volstad, who tossed two scoreless innings Wednesday.

3. Reds LF Marlon Byrd is 6-for-19 with a pair of homers and four RBIs in five games since coming off the DL.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Reds 2