Reds at Pirates
Gregory Polanco has recorded just six hits in six games to open the season but is making them count, hitting five for extra bases while collecting nine RBIs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a rousing 5-1 start. The 26-year-old outfielder looks to record another productive performance when the Pirates host the struggling Cincinnati Reds on Friday for the second contest of the four-game series between the National League Central Division rivals.
Polanco forged a tie with a sacrifice fly and belted a go-ahead, two-run homer in his 500th major league game Thursday as Pittsburgh defeated the Reds 5-2 to rebound from its first loss of the season a day earlier against Minnesota. Luis Castillo will try to contain Polanco as he takes the mound for Cincinnati against Trevor Williams, who did not allow a hit in his first appearance of the season. The Reds have had two games postponed in the early going due to poor weather conditions and gave up 26 runs in their four losses, sandwiched around a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Scooter Gennett is off to a strong start with the bat (9-for-21) and Adam Duvall belted his second homer Thursday to give him a team-leading six RBIs.
TV: 7.05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Luis Castillo (0-1, 10.80 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Trevor Williams (1-0, 0.00)
Castillo allowed six runs and six hits - two homers - with six strikeouts and one walk over five innings in his season debut against Washington on Saturday. The 25-year-old Dominican, who was acquired from Miami in January 2017 in the trade for Dan Straily, went 3-7 with a 3.12 ERA and 98 strikeouts over 89 1/3 innings last year. David Freese is 2-for-5 versus Castillo, who went 0-1 while yielding three runs and recording 14 strikeouts over 11 frames in two starts against Pittsburgh last season.
Williams did not give up a hit in six scoreless innings at Detroit on Sunday to record the victory, but he walked five and his pitch count rose to 85. The 25-year-old Arizona State product went 4-5 with a 3.35 ERA after the All-Star break last year as opposed to 3-4 with a 4.80 mark in the first half and was 3-3 with a 3.49 ERA at home overall. Gennett is 3-for-8 with a homer and Joey Votto 5-for-11 with three doubles against Williams, who was 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in four appearances (two starts) versus the Reds in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Votto, who is just 3-for-19 without an RBI over his first five contests, is three walks away from becoming the second Red to reach 1,000 for his career.
2. Pittsburgh 1B Josh Bell has hit safely in all six games to start the season, going 9-for-24 with three runs, a homer and five RBIs.
3. Reds RF Scott Schebler (elbow), who is 4-for-12 with a home run in three games, could return Friday after missing the last two contests.