Cincinnati @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( May 1, 2011 ) Florida 9, Cincinnati 5

THE STORY: The Cincinnati Reds will try to notch consecutive road wins for the first time in more than two months with a victory Tuesday, and they'll do so against one of the majors' worst home teams in the Florida Marlins. Cincinnati last won back-to-back road games when it swept three games from the Los Angeles Dodgers from June 13-15. Florida has the second-worst home record in the majors at 24-39.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Ohio, Fox Sports Florida

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Johnny Cueto (9-5, 1.89 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (9-9, 4.25 ERA).

Cueto has been dominant in winning his last two starts, allowing only one run over 15 innings with 14 strikeouts and two walks. The outstanding performances came on the heels of his worst outing of the year, as he allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings on Aug. 6 against the Chicago Cubs, marking the only time in 19 starts this season he has allowed more than three earned runs. In two starts against the Marlins, Cueto is 1-0 with a 5.73 ERA.

Nolasco was knocked around Wednesday at Colorado, allowing a franchise-high 11 runs in three innings. It marked the fourth time this season Nolasco has allowed eight runs or more. He has been equally brilliant at times, though, and was solid in a 9-5 win at Cincinnati on May 1, allowing three runs over seven innings. In six starts and one relief appearance against the Reds, Nolasco is 2-1 with a 5.26 ERA.

ABOUT THE REDS (62-65): Cincinnati won two of three in Pittsburgh over the weekend for its first road series win since taking two of three at Tampa Bay from June 27-29. Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto have carried the offense lately. Phillips is 11-for-22 with a homer and six RBIs in five games since moving to the leadoff spot, and Votto is 11-for-25 with four homers and nine RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak. The Reds should get shortstop Edgar Renteria back in the lineup at some point in the series. He has been out of the lineup since Aug. 16 with a strained left groin. The former Marlin pinch hit on Saturday. He is 0-for-18 against Nolasco.

ABOUT THE MARLINS (57-70): Florida has lost 15 of 17 after wrapping up a seven-game road trip with a 1-6 mark, including a four-game sweep in San Diego over the weekend. The Marlins aren't likely to find much relief at home – they have lost 13 of 16 at Sun Life Stadium. Mike Stanton hit a hot streak away from home, hitting four homers on the road trip to reach 30. He became the second 21-year-old in franchise history to hit 30 homers, joining Miguel Cabrera in 2004.

FINAL PITCH: Nolasco needs one strikeout to pass Dontrelle Willis as the Marlins' all-time leader with 758. He has at least one strikeout in all but one of his 26 starts this season.