Arizona @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2013 ) Arizona 5, Cincinnati 2

The Cincinnati Reds still have a commanding lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the wild-card race, but the Diamondbacks are not going away. Arizona looks to chop another game off the deficit when it visits Cincinnati again on Wednesday. The Reds pushed their lead to six games with a win in the opener of the four-game set but could not figure out Patrick Corbin in a 5-2 loss on Tuesday, allowing the Diamondbacks to draw within five.

Cincinnati would like to get rid of pesky Arizona but has its eyes set in front on the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Central. The Diamondbacks are further out in the NL West, 7 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds and Arizona are fighting over some individual acclaim this week as well, and Paul Goldschmidt hit a grand slam on Tuesday to extend his NL RBI lead over Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips, 100 to 92.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Brandon McCarthy (2-7, 4.84 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (10-5, 3.01)

McCarthy is trying to snap a four-start losing streak. The veteran made it out of the sixth inning in only one of those turns and was knocked around for four runs on seven hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings in a loss at Pittsburgh last week. McCarthy has made just one relief appearance against Cincinnati and is just 1-4 with a 5.21 ERA in seven road starts this season.

Leake is trying to snap a four-start winless streak as well but does have two quality starts in that span. The 25-year-old lasted only five innings in a no-decision at Milwaukee last week, allowing four runs on nine hits. Leake went eight innings at Arizona on June 22, yielding two runs on four hits without factoring in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Goldschmidt is 1-for-6 with one RBI in his career against Leake.

2. Cincinnati RHP J.J. Hoover had a string of 23 straight scoreless appearances come to an end on Tuesday.

3. Arizona 2B Aaron Hill is riding a 13-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Reds 7, Diamondbacks 4