Reds at Padres
The Cincinnati Reds try for a four-game sweep of the host San Diego Padres with suddenly unhittable Raisel Iglesias the star of the show. The 29-year-old Cuban, who entered the series with a 6.75 ERA, has pitched an inning in each of the first three games of the set and struck out all nine batters on 41 pitches, earning two saves in the process as the Reds outscored the Padres 11-5.
Cincinnati (8-12) is a streaky club, winning its season opener, losing eight consecutive games, winning four in a row and dropping four straight before arriving in San Diego. The Padres (11-11) have lost six in a row by a combined 32-13, but Eric Hosmer (.213) showed signs of snapping out of his slow start by going 3-for-4 with a home run Saturday. San Diego's Joey Lucchesi takes the ball Sunday after struggling in his previous two starts and opposes Tyler Mahle, who allowed a career-high 11 hits in his last turn. The Reds' Matt Kemp (.190 this season, 1-for-10 in the series) continues to struggle in his first season with Cincinnati but could be better Sunday as he's 4-for-7 with a home run, double and three RBIs versus Lucchesi, who has never faced the Reds.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (0-1, 2.65 ERA) vs. Padres LH Joey Lucchesi (2-2, 5.06)
Mahle told reporters he had trouble locating his fastball after allowing four runs in six innings of a 6-1 loss at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Californian was better in his first two starts of the season, yielding a combined one run, seven hits and four walks while striking out 12 in 11 frames. Mahle is 1-0 in two starts versus San Diego - both last season, permitting two runs, 10 hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts over eight innings.
Lucchesi pitched a career-high seven innings but allowed five runs and seven hits - two home runs - in a 5-2 loss to Colorado on Monday. "Going in maybe I felt a little timid in the first inning, then I was like, 'What's wrong with me?" the 25-year-old Californian told reporters. "I started catching my rhythm, like all right, let's go. ... I know I went seven innings and at least that's one positive, saved our bullpen a bit. I want to keep going longer in the game. The last two games have been kind of bad realistically, but I'm all right. I'm going to get after it in my next game." Lucchesi, who has 166 strikeouts in 151 1/3 career innings, yielded seven runs and seven hits in four frames of a 7-2 loss at San Francisco on April 9.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati OFs Yasiel Puig and Kemp, and C/1B Kyle Farmer, who were all acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers during the offseason, are hitting a combined .175.
2. Padres 2B Ian Kinsler went 1-for-3 on Saturday to raise his average to .161.
3. Reds 1B Joey Votto (.227) did not play Saturday because of back tightness after going 2-for-9 in the first two games of the series but is expected to play Sunday.