Colorado @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2011 ) Colorado 10, Cincinnati 7

THE STORY: If the Cincinnati Reds could beat teams with losing records, maybe they wouldn’t be so far off the pace in the National League Central. A full 10 games out with less than two months to play, the Reds are in need of a miracle if they hope to re-enter the race. The Colorado Rockies are a tad closer in the NL West but are just as unlikely to make a move. One thing each team is still capable of doing is putting on an offensive show. After combining for seven home runs in the series opener on Monday, Dontrelle Willis and Esmil Rogers will square off hoping to slow the offensive onslaught when the Rockies visit Great American Ball Park again on Tuesday night.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSOH (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds LH Dontrelle Willis (0-1, 3.41 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Esmil Rogers (5-1, 6.35 ERA).

Willis has been solid in his return to the major leagues, allowing three earned runs or less in each of his five turns. The veteran lefthander went six innings at Houston last Wednesday and surrendered two runs on eight hits but did not factor in the decision. Most encouraging has been Willis’ control, as he issued just one walk to the Astros. He owns a 4-1 career record with a 3.03 ERA against Colorado.

Rogers has been terrific since moving into Ubaldo Jimenez’s vacated rotation spot, surrendering a total of two runs and eight hits in 10 2/3 innings. The Dominican native will get every opportunity to stick in the rotation with Jimenez gone to Cleveland and Juan Nicasio on the disabled list. Rogers has made two relief appearances against Cincinnati in the past, allowing a total of one run in three innings.

ABOUT THE REDS (55-60): Inconsistency has been a problem all season among the Cincinnati pitching staff. It was Homer Bailey’s turn on Monday. After putting together his best start of the season last week, Bailey was reached for five runs in three innings before his night was ended by a lengthy rain delay. Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Brandon Phillips each homered but it could not make up for the pitching woes. Since the All-Star break, the Reds are 7-2 against teams currently with winning records and 3-11 against teams .500 or below.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (54-62): Colorado has been dealing with a glut of outfielders all season, with Seth Smith fighting for playing time against Ryan Spilborghs, Dexter Fowler, Eric Young Jr., Charlie Blackmon and Ty Wigginton. When Smith, who has logged most of the time in right field, gets his chance, he has proven he can hit the ball out of the yard. Smith went deep twice on Monday, his 10th and 11th of the campaign. Carlos Gonzalez – the only outfielder guaranteed playing time this season when not on the disabled list – hit the final homer of the night, taking a Bill Bray offering far past the wall in center field en route to a 10-7 win.

FINAL PITCH: Cincinnati rookie Yonder Alonso – a first baseman through college and the minors – has been taking grounders at third base prior to games to see if the Reds can sneak his bat into the lineup. Alonso played some left field at Triple-A Louisville and is blocked at first by Joey Votto. With Scott Rolen on the disabled list, manager Dusty Baker is trying to get rookies Todd Frazier and Alonso into the lineup without doing too much damage to the defense.