Cleveland @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 2, 2011 ) Cleveland 3, Cincinnati 1

THE STORY: The Cleveland Indians will try to sweep the season series against the host Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Cleveland's 3-1 victory Saturday gave the Indians a 5-0 record against their intrastate rival. Six relievers held the Reds to one run in seven innings after starter Fausto Carmona left with a quadriceps injury in the third. Michael Brantley's three-run homer in the third provided Cleveland's only runs. The loss was frustrating for the Reds, who stranded seven runners in the last three innings and wasted a solid pitching performance from starter Homer Bailey.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mitch Talbot (2-4, 4.96 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (7-4, 3.89). Talbot hasn't won since May 31 and is 0-3 in his last five starts. There is a lot of traffic on the bases when he pitches as Talbot has allowed 60 hits and walked 21 in 49 innings. He won his only career appearance against the Reds last season, allowing one run in seven innings. Leake shut down Tampa Bay on Monday with six scoreless innings and allowed only four hits. The victory broke a two-game losing streak in which he gave up a home run in both starts. Leake will be making his first career appearance against Cleveland. Other than Johnny Cueto, Leake has been the Reds' most consistent starter.

ABOUT THE INDIANS (44-37): Despite an 11-6 record in interleague play, the Indians will be happy to return to American League games, even if it is against the New York Yankees on Monday at home. Cleveland completes a nine-game stretch in National League parks Sunday, and not a moment too soon for manager Manny Acta. The Indians need to get designated hitter Travis Hafner's bat in the lineup. Hafner is hitting .336 with seven homers and 29 RBIs in only 134 at-bats. Cleveland is 4-4 in its stretch in National League parks after going 2-7 last season.

ABOUT THE REDS (42-42): As is the case with the Indians, the Reds will be glad to see interleague play come to an end. However, Cincinnati has a different reason. The Reds are 5-12 against the American League and have won only one series in six attempts, which came against Tampa Bay. Following Sunday's game, the Reds start an important seven-game road trip to St. Louis and Milwaukee, the leaders in the National League Central, where the top four teams are tightly bunched. Cincinnati can't afford to lose much more ground in the division going into the All-Star break.

FINAL PITCH: Saturday's win was even more impressive considering it came without closer Chris Perez, who has been on the bereavement list since Thursday. He is expected to rejoin the team for Sunday's game.