In the month of August, Logan Allen has been very good with a 1-1 record and an ERA of 2.45. He toes the rubber on Tuesday night in Cincinnati.
Ramon Laureano has played in all six games since he came over from Oakland, and so far Laureano is doing ok at the plate with four hits, two doubles, and two RBIs in 23 at-bats.
Cleveland has lost nine out of 13, and are five games below .500, but they are still in the hunt for the Central Division. Entering Tuesday, the Guardians are four and a half games behind the Twins.
Cleveland secured their third victory in nine games by defeating the Rays in the final match of their road series on Sunday afternoon. The Guardians’ record improved to 57-62, and they entered Monday holding the second position in the AL Central, trailing the Twins by 4.5 games for the division’s top spot. They were also 8.5 games behind the Blue Jays for the last wild card position in the American League playoffs.
During Sunday’s game, Andres Gimenez contributed four hits, resulting in two runs and two RBIs, while Oscar Gonzalez added three hits, one run, and two RBIs, leading a strong offensive performance with 15 hits. Gimenez hit his 11th home run of the season, and Gabriel Arias hit his sixth home run, both contributing to the Guardians’ victory. Pitcher Tanner Bibee (9-2) earned the win by delivering a solid performance, pitching seven innings and allowing only two runs on seven hits. He walked no batters and struck out five.
In the upcoming game, rookie left-handed pitcher Logan Allen will take the mound for the Guardians, marking his 18th start of the season. He currently holds a 5-5 record with a 3.55 ERA, a 1.369 WHIP, 35 walks, and 88 strikeouts over 91.1 innings pitched this season. Allen’s most recent start ended in a loss against the Blue Jays at home, where he pitched five innings, giving up one run on four hits, with three walks and three strikeouts. Over his last three starts, Allen has a 1-2 record with a 4.24 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP, 10 walks, and 12 strikeouts across 17 innings pitched. This game also marks Allen’s 18th major league start and his first time facing the Reds. Consequently, it will be his inaugural appearance at the Great American Ball Park.
Over the weekend, Cincinnati secured victory in two out of three games against the Pirates. However, they approach this upcoming series with a record of losing nine out of their last 12 games. Their doubleheader on Sunday ended in a split. As of Monday, the Reds held a 62-58 record and were tied for second place in the NL Central division. They trailed the Brewers by 3.5 games for the top spot. Additionally, they were trailing the Marlins by half a game for the final wild card position in the National League.
In the initial game of the Sunday doubleheader, Spencer Steer managed three hits, while Matt McLain contributed with a run and an RBI despite the team’s loss. The Reds struggled with a 2-for-15 performance with runners in scoring position during that match. Brandon Williamson pitched 5.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits, along with two walks and six strikeouts. The loss went to Alex Young (4-1) in relief, who conceded two runs on one hit with one walk and no strikeouts across one inning.
Moving on to the second game, Henry Ramos hit for a run and an RBI while securing three hits, and Elly De La Cruz also achieved a run and an RBI with a pair of hits, including his 10th of the season. Luke Weaver pitched 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits, managing one walk and seven strikeouts. Alexis Diaz (4-4) earned the win by contributing 1.2 scoreless innings, not allowing any hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Daniel Duarte handled the 10th inning, preventing runs and hits while managing a strikeout, securing his first save.
Taking the mound for the Reds in this matchup is Graham Ashcraft, who will be making his 23rd start of the season. He currently holds a record of 6-7 with a 4.95 ERA, a 1.408 WHIP, 46 walks, and 88 strikeouts over 120 innings of play this season. In his most recent start against the Marlins at home on Wednesday night, Ashcraft went seven innings, conceding one run on three hits, while also issuing one walk and securing seven strikeouts. Despite his performance, the Reds narrowly lost 5-4. Over his last three starts, Ashcraft has maintained a 1-0 record with a 1.71 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP, three walks, and 14 strikeouts across 21 innings of work. This contest marks Ashcraft’s first encounter with the Guardians. Furthermore, it is his 24th career start at the Great American Ball Park. In those previous outings, he has achieved a record of 6-10 with a 5.30 ERA, a 1.382 WHIP, 44 walks, and 89 strikeouts over 127.1 innings of play.
Both teams are experiencing a downturn as August begins, which has hindered their efforts to secure playoff berths. Lately, Ashcraft’s pitching performance has been strong, and it’s known that the Reds have the ability to score runs. However, they need to improve their defense to prevent their opponents from scoring. Cleveland has encountered difficulties at bat throughout the season, and Allen enters this game after losing three out of his last four starts. The Guardians have faced challenges when playing away from home, with a record of 26-34. Additionally, Allen has managed only two quality starts in eight games on the road. A slight advantage goes to the Reds in this matchup due to their more productive offensive lineup.
Our Pick: Take Reds and the Moneyline (+108)
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