Reds at Angels
The Cincinnati Reds were climbing toward .500 before hitting a bit of a snag over the weekend. The Reds will try to jump back into the win column and continue the surge toward a winning record when they visit the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game interleague series.
Cincinnati (36-40) won six in a row in impressive fashion over playoff contenders Texas, Houston and Milwaukee before dropping a pair at the Brewers on Saturday and Sunday to split the four-game set. "We can say 'Hey, we've put ourselves in position here with a long way to go'," Reds manager David Bell told reporters after a 7-5 setback Sunday. "You just keep moving forward. It is just a week, but it was a real important week." The Angels (39-40) are coming off an emotional series at St. Louis that marked Albert Pujols' return for the first time since he left as a free agent after the 2011 season, and while Pujols homered once in his old home ballpark, Los Angeles dropped the first two games and had to sweat out a 6-4 triumph Sunday. Cincinnati will send right-hander Tyler Mahle to the mound Tuesday while the Angels counter with lefty Andrew Heaney.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (2-7, 4.17 ERA) vs. Angels LH Andrew Heaney (0-1, 5.68)
Mahle is winless in three June outings despite allowing three or fewer earned runs in each of those turns. The southern California native will be pitching in front of friends and family as he tries to follow up an outing Wednesday in which he held the Houston Astros to two runs and four hits in seven innings without factoring in the decision. Mahle is seeing the Angels for the first time and is 3-3 with a 3.29 ERA in seven career interleague starts.
Heaney is making his sixth start since returning from an elbow injury and is still looking for his first win. The Oklahoma native notched 28 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings over his first three starts but totaled four over 8 2/3 frames in his last two turns, including a 3 2/3-inning effort at Toronto on Wednesday in which he was reached for five runs on four hits and four walks. Heaney is seeing Cincinnati for the first time and is 2-6 with a 4.90 ERA in 10 career interleague starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett (groin) is entering the final stages of a rehab assignment and could return to the team this week.
2. Los Angeles CF Mike Trout recorded multiple hits in four of the last five games.
3. Cincinnati RF Yasiel Puig scored a run in each of the last five games.