Both the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates had sluggish starts to the new MLB season, but are attempting to turn things around. The Reds are slowly climbing the ranks back to being at .500 during a productive stretch and hope that a strong finish to their series with the Pittsburgh Pirates will swing momentum back in their direction.
The Reds are starting to find their stride in 2014. The team has won their last two games and is trying to take three of four from the Pirates. Jay Bruce has been leading the charge. After going 4-for-35 during an 11-game stretch, he has 10 hits in his last 21 at-bats. He is on a five-game run streak. The Reds are now averaging 6.0 runs and batting .300 while putting together wins in their last seven of 10 games. Their bats are not the only thing surging. The starting rotation is posting a 1.85 ERA as opponents are being held to a .184 average in the past seven games.
The Reds will send Tony Cingrani to the mound who is 1-2 with a 3.22 ERA. He is currently holding batters to a .182 average, but he did allow three runs and four walks over five innings against the Chicago Cubs. Cincinnati is hopeful he can bounce back.
Andrew McCutchen intends to keep his current hot streak alive against Cingrani. The reigning NL MVP has homered in three straight games and is 7 for 10 in the series against the Reds while being 16 for 31 with four homers in an eight-game stretch. Cingrani has a small history against Pittsburgh, giving up one hit over three innings in relief work.
The Pirates will rely on their pitching considering they have totaled just 21 runs while dropping five of their last six games. Brandon Cumpton will make his 2014 debut replacing Wandy Rodriguez. He is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in Triple-A. He has a streak of 15 scoreless innings which is the third-longest among active big league starters. Three of those came against the Reds.