Arizona @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2012 ) Arizona 0, Cincinnati 4
Mat Latos will make it exactly three months without a loss if he can pitch the Cincinnati Reds past the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Latos has put together 15 consecutive starts without a defeat since losing to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 18. The right-hander has limited batters to a .190 average in two July starts. Arizona has scored just 40 runs this month and was blanked in Tuesday’s loss.
Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton, who has been the subject of trade rumors due to a highly disappointing season, has shown life in this series by going 5-for-8 as Arizona split the first two games. Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson dropped him to the No. 5 spot in the order and Upton has responded. Cincinnati has won seven of eight games and leads the National League Central by one game over the upstart Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds will be challenged over the next month with star first baseman Joey Votto out after arthroscopic knee surgery. Closer Aroldis Chapman has recorded strikeouts on 21 of his last 25 outs. Arizona is 1-32 when scoring two runs or less.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona (Diamondbacks), Fox Sports Ohio (Reds)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (6-8, 4.55 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mat Latos (7-2, 4.10)
Kennedy has just one victory in his last six starts. He gave up six runs and seven hits in five innings while losing to the Chicago Cubs in his last outing. Kennedy is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two career starts against Cincinnati.
Latos won seven straight decisions since losing two of his first three starts. He took a no-decision against St. Louis in his last outing when he gave up two runs in five innings. Latos is 1-0 with a 2.22 ERA in four career starts against Arizona.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona hopes to get OF Jason Kubel back from a hamstring injury on Wednesday. Kubel leads the club with 15 homers and 60 RBIs.
2. Reds OF Ryan Ludwick, who hit a three-run homer in Tuesday’s victory, is just 1-for-10 with six strikeouts against Kennedy.
3. Diamondbacks OF Chris Young is 4-for-10 with a homer against Latos, and has also fanned four times.