Marlins at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds have been flexing their muscles of late after getting sand kicked in their faces during their eight-game losing skid. After erupting for five homers in the series opener, the Reds responded with two more the following night and look to record their first sweep of the season on Thursday afternoon against the visiting Miami Marlins.
Jose Iglesias led off the eighth inning with a tying homer and Jesse Winker followed suit one out later with his second in as many games to send Cincinnati to a 2-1 win over the Marlins on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Winker is 3-for-8 with four RBIs in this series after going 1-for-24 to start the season. Neil Walker went deep for the first time since Opening Day for Miami, which has lost seven of eight overall and mustered just eight runs in its last five contests. Walker has belted 19 homers in his career against the Reds -- more than he has hit off any team -- heading into a tilt versus right-hander Sonny Gray, who is searching for his first win since signing a three-year, $30.5 million contract.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Pablo Lopez (1-1, 6.10 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sonny Gray (0-2, 2.89)
Lopez surrendered a pair of homers and four hits during a four-run, 36-pitch fourth inning in a 4-0 setback at Atlanta on Friday. "Everything is going to be a learning experience. He wasn't as aggressive that whole (fourth) inning," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of the 23-year-old Venezuelan, who will be receiving his 13th career start overall and first versus Cincinnati. Lopez recorded just six swinging strikes among the 52 he posted on 89 pitches against the Braves.
Gray answered a difficult season-opening start with a strong one, but sustained his second straight loss nonetheless. After allowing three runs on five hits with four walks in 2 2/3 innings versus Pittsburgh on March 31, the 29-year-old retired 16 consecutive batters and permitted just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in Friday's 2-0 setback to the Pirates. Gray has handcuffed the current crop of Marlins, who have batted just 2-for-19 with six strikeouts against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati OF Yasiel Puig is eligible to return after serving his two-game suspension for his role in the melee against Pittsburgh this past weekend.
2. Miami 3B Brian Anderson is 0-for-11 with four strikeouts in his last three contests.
3. Reds LF Matt Kemp is 4-for-11 in his last three games after going 1-for-20 in his previous seven.