Cincinnati @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2014 ) Cincinnati 1, Cleveland 7
The Cleveland Indians look to continue their home-field dominance over the Cincinnati Reds when the in-state rivals continue a four-game, home-and-home series Tuesday. The Indians won the opener 7-1, running their home winning streak in the series to 10 games. Cleveland has won four straight overall and is 2 1/2 games behind Toronto for the second American League wild card.
Cincinnati is back at the .500 mark and has fallen four games behind division rival St. Louis for the National League's second wild card. Reds ace Johnny Cueto looks to cool off the Indians and outfielder Michael Brantley, who has recorded five straight multi-hit games for the third time this season and is 11-for-21 during the streak. The Reds are 3-9 in interleague play this season and have lost all five games at AL parks.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (12-6, 2.05 ERA) vs. Indians RH Josh Tomlin (5-7, 4.47)
Cueto has won four straight decisions dating to July 2 and has allowed three or fewer runs in 10 consecutive outings - nine of them quality starts. The 28-year-old has allowed one run in 14 innings over his last two starts, racking up 18 strikeouts in the process. Cueto is 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA in five starts against the Indians, including a complete-game victory in the last meeting in 2012.
Tomlin made his last start at Triple-A Columbus and gave up a pair of solo homers over five innings, continuing an alarming trend of surrendering the long ball. The 29-year-old has given up 16 homers in 86 2/3 innings in the big leagues this season and has a 6.45 ERA in four major-league starts since tossing his first career shutout at Seattle on June 28. Tomlin is 1-1 with a 4.08 ERA in three starts against the Reds.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland C/DH Yan Gomes, who hit a two-run homer Monday, is batting .342 during a career-best 10-game hitting streak,
2. Reds C/1B Brayan Pena is riding a nine-game hitting streak, tied for his longest of the season and three games shy of his career-best streak in 2009. Pena is 2-for-12 with three strikeouts versus Tomlin.
3. Indians 1B/DH Nick Swisher missed Monday's game with a sore right wrist and is day-to-day.
PREDICTION: Reds 6, Indians 3