Reds at Pirates
The Cincinnati Reds still have faint hopes of climbing back into the postseason chase, but they are just as close to the bottom of the National League Central as they are within striking distance of the second wild card. The schedule does not favor the Reds, who kick off an 11-game road trip with the first of three at the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Cincinnati, which has won two in a row following a 2-7 slide, does play its next seven against a pair of last-place teams in the Pirates and Miami Marlins, but it has lost all four meetings in Pittsburgh this season. Freddy Galvis has supplied an offensive spark for the Reds since he was acquired from Toronto on waivers, batting .438 with three homers and seven RBIs in nine games. The reeling Pirates were outscored 32-6 in dropping three of four to Washington to lose for the 30th time in 38 games since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh, which has been limited to one run or less in five of the past six contests, lost two of three at Cincinnati at the end of last month -- a series in which four members of each team were ejected following a brawl.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (8-7, 4.40 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Mitch Keller (1-2, 8.86)
DeSclafani has alternated wins and losses over his last six starts, picking up the victory with five innings of one-run ball against St. Louis on Saturday. He has not pitched beyond 5 1/3 innings in each of his last five turns and has surrendered six home runs in his last four trips to the mound. DeSclafani has lost both starts and owns an 8.10 ERA this season against the Pirates and must be wary of Josh Bell (6-for-14), although he has flustered Starling Marte (1-for-17).
Keller's time in the rotation could be short after he permitted at least six runs for the third time in five starts last time out, when he gave up two homers over 4 1/3 innings versus the Chicago Cubs. The 23-year-old rookie earned his first career win in his previous outing, yielding two runs (one earned) over a season high-tying five innings at the Los Angeles Angels. Keller was pounded for six runs in four innings at Cincinnati in his major league debut on May 27.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bell, who sits one RBI shy of 100, is 3-for-26 over the past eight games.
2. Reds SS José Iglesias has hit safely in 16 of 17 games overall.
3. C Francisco Cervelli, sidelined since May 25 due to a concussion, was released by the Pirates on Thursday.