Cincinnati @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2012 ) Cincinnati 3, Arizona 2
The National League Central-leading Cincinnati Reds continue their six-game road trip Tuesda, when they take on the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle game of their three-game series. Cincinnati maintained its six-game division lead over St. Louis with a 3-2 triumph in Monday's series opener as starter Bronson Arroyo tossed six solid innings and hit the game-winning home run in the sixth. The victory was Dusty Baker's 400th as manager of the Reds, making him the seventh skipper in club history to reach the plateau.
Cincinnati, which has won five of seven on the road, is facing a Diamondbacks team that is 2-6 on its 10-game homestand. Arizona has scored more than four runs only once over the first eight games of its home stretch. Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton drove in both runs for the Diamondbacks on Monday with a home run and a single. Upton has hit safely in 20 consecutive home games. Arizona is 7 1/2 games behind both first-place San Francisco in the NL West and St. Louis for the second wild-card spot.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (16-6, 2.47 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (14-8, 2.80)
Cueto, who is tied for the NL lead in wins, settled for a no-decision at Philadelphia on Thursday despite leaving with a lead after allowing two runs over five innings. It was the shortest outing since a 4 2/3-inning performance against Colorado on May 25 for the 26-year-old Dominican, who has won seven of his last eight decisions. Cueto improved to 4-0 lifetime versus the Diamondbacks when he tossed six scoreless frames on July 17.
Miley has been superb in his last two starts, allowing one run over six innings in a triumph at Houston on Aug. 17 before scattering four hits over eight scoreless frames in a victory over Miami on Wednesday. The NL Rookie of the Year candidate has yielded fewer than two runs in five of his last seven outings. Miley picked up the win in his first career start against the Reds despite surrendering three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings at Cincinnati on July 16.
WALK-OFFS
1. LHP Aroldis Chapman has converted a franchise-record 24 consecutive save opportunities.
2. Arizona (64-65) fell below the .500 mark for the first time since Aug. 15.
3. Arroyo has homered in five of his seven seasons with Cincinnati, failing to go deep in only 2009 and 2011.