Padres at Reds
The Cincinnati Reds had a chance to make a move in the National League Central over the weekend but failed to take full advantage while splitting a four-game set with division-leading St. Louis and are trying to keep the door from closing on their postseason chances. The Reds will try to take advantage of a team in a similar spot when they host the San Diego Padres on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.
Cincinnati (58-65) sits 7 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the NL Central and is fading out of the race with losses in six of the last eight games after a ninth-inning rally fell short in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Cardinals. The Reds, who play each of the next three series against teams with losing records, are still trying to stay alive while setting themselves up for the future and continue to get encouraging performances from rookie slugger Aristides Aquino, who walked twice on Sunday and owns a .397 on-base percentage and .930 slugging percentage with 11 home runs in 17 games this season. The Padres (58-65) are not nearly as close in their division with the Los Angeles Dodgers running away and lost their Rookie of the Year candidate - Fernando Tatis Jr. - to a back injury last week but played spoiler in the NL wild card race over the weekend by taking two of three at Philadelphia. San Diego will send left-hander Eric Lauer to the mound on Monday opposite Reds righty Trevor Bauer.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (6-8, 4.55 ERA) vs. Reds RH Trevor Bauer (10-9, 4.12)
Lauer was held out of the decision in each of his last two starts while failing to work deep into games and allowed a total of six runs and 16 hits in nine innings in that span. The 24-year-old surrendered a total of two home runs in four July starts but is up to three in as many turns this month. Lauer kept the ball in the park at home against Cincinnati on April 20 but came away with a loss after yielding three runs - two earned - on six hits and a pair of walks in five frames.
Bauer followed up his first win with the Reds on Aug. 9 by suffering through his worst start on Wednesday at Washington, when he was pounded for nine runs on eight hits - two homers - in 4 1/3 innings. The UCLA product is 1-1 with a 7.31 ERA in three starts since arriving from the Cleveland Indians in a deadline deal. Bauer is 0-3 with a 6.28 ERA in three career starts against San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Reds placed 1B Joey Votto (back) on the 10-day IL Sunday, retroactive to Thursday.
2. Padres 1B Eric Hosmer is 12-for-25 over the last six games.
3. San Diego 2B/SS Luis Urias drove in nine runs in his last five games.