Reds at Indians
The away team has enjoyed the better of play in the Ohio Cup since 2017, but the Cleveland Indians reversed that trend in this year's first matchup. After posting a 10-inning walk-off victory Tuesday night, the Indians will look to win three consecutive series for the first time this season when they wrap up a two-game set versus the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon.
Rookie Oscar Mercado provided the decisive blow in the series opener with a bases-loaded single in the 10th to lift Cleveland to a 2-1 victory and extend his hitting streak to six games. Francisco Lindor, who was intentionally walked before Mercado's game-winner, collected a pair of hits and has reached base in all 18 career games against Cincinnati, batting .358 (29-for-81) in that span. A lack of offense continues to bedevil the Reds, who dropped to 2-6 in their last eight games and have scored a combined eight runs in the six losses. Rookie Nick Senzel drove in the lone run for Cincinnati with an RBI double and is 5-for-11 with three doubles over his past three games.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (2-3, 4.70 ERA) vs. Indians RH Zach Plesac (1-1, 1.86)
DeSclafani has gone more than five weeks without a victory, stretching his winless drought to five starts last time out at St. Louis despite holding the Cardinals to one run and striking out seven over five innings. The 29-year-old was 0-2 over his previous four outings, giving up a combined 15 runs while failing to pitch beyond four innings in three of them. Carlos Santana has three doubles in six at-bats and Jason Kipnis is 3-for-9 against DeSclafani, who had a 1-1 record in 3.79 ERA in three starts versus Cleveland.
Plesac has provided a spark to the Indians' injury-ravaged rotation since he was promoted from the minors late last month and earned his first major league victory by limiting the New York Yankees to two runs over seven innings in his third career start. The nephew of former All-Star closer Dan Plesac, he also went seven innings in his previous turn but was a hard-luck loser after allowing one run and four hits at the Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old is holding batters to a .209 average in his three starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Indians have won the last five matchups in the Ohio Cup.
2. Reds 1B Joey Votto has hit safely in four straight games and reached base in 24 of 25.
3. Santana homered Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to seven games.