Giants at Reds
After splitting a pair of 1-0 decisions with the Mets in New York, the Cincinnati Reds have lit up the scoreboard in the first two contests of their four-game series against the visiting San Francisco Giants. The Reds attempt to gain the upper hand after splitting those meetings when they continue the set with the Giants on Sunday.
Cincinnati launched three home runs while losing a 12-11 slugfest to San Francisco in 11 innings in the series opener before bouncing back to belt five shots in Saturday's 9-2 victory, with Derek Dietrich going deep a total of three times and driving in seven runs in those games. Nick Senzel launched his first blast in his second major-league contest while Yasiel Puig went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for the Reds, who are in the midst of a stretch during which they play 26 of 36 games on the road - including two in Mexico. The Giants produced only five hits Saturday as their four-game winning streak on the road came to an end. Steven Duggar recorded two of them - a pair of run-scoring singles - for his third straight multi-hit performance (8-for-11) and has collected five of his 16 RBIs on the season in this series.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (2-1, 2.53 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (3-1, 1.45)
Samardzija settled for a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday despite giving up just two hits and one walk over five scoreless innings. It marked the third time in six turns this season the 34-year-old native of Indiana did not allow an earned run with only one win in those games. Samardzija owns a 3-5 record and 4.00 ERA in 12 starts and 14 relief appearances versus Cincinnati during his career.
Castillo also is coming off a start in which he failed to receive a win as he did not factor in the decision against the Mets on Tuesday after allowing two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old Dominican, who leads the major leagues in ERA, has yielded two or fewer runs in each of his seven turns this year. Castillo won his only career start versus San Francisco on Aug. 19, when he permitted three runs - one earned - and six hits while registering nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Reds released OF Matt Kemp, who went 12-for-60 with one homer and five RBIs in 20 games after being acquired from the Dodgers in a seven-player trade in December.
2. San Francisco recalled P Pat Venditte, who gave up a solo homer in two innings of relief Saturday, from Triple-A Sacramento and optioned RHP Tyler Beede to the River Cats.
3. Cincinnati recalled LHP Cody Reed, who recorded four strikeouts in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief Saturday, from Triple-A Louisville and optioned OF Scott Schebler to the Bats.