MLB Game Preview - Cincinnati at Miami
Wed Aug 28, 2019 7:10 PM EDT

STL
1
MIL
4
F
NYY
7
SEA
3
F
PIT
3
PHI
12
F
BAL
4
WSH
8
F
ATL
9
TOR
4
F
CIN
5
MIA
0
F
CHC
10
NYM
7
F
CLE
4
DET
2
F
TB
6
HOU
8
F
MIN
8
CHW
2
F
OAK
4
KC
6
F
BOS
7
COL
4
F
LAD
6
SD
4
F(10)
TEX
3
LAA
0
F
Reds look to seal series win over Marlins
Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:59 AM

For the second straight night, the Cincinnati Reds will start a former Miami Marlins pitcher against his old team.

On Tuesday, it was 2019 All-Star Luis Castillo who faced the host Marlins, beating them 8-5 and giving the Reds a 2-0 lead halfway through the four-game series.

Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, traded by Miami to Cincinnati on Dec. 11, 2014, will get his chance on Wednesday. He is 8-7 with a 4.27 ERA in 25 starts this year as he continues his quest for the first double-figure-win season of his career.

In five major league seasons, DeSclafani is 35-35 with a 4.23 ERA, and that includes a 1-2 record with a 4.32 ERA in three career starts against the Marlins.

Even though he went 2-2 in his only major league season with Miami in 2014, DeSclafani has never won a game at Marlins Park, going 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in eight appearances, including five starts.

DeSclafani, who has yet to face the Marlins this year, has pitched well in his past two starts, allowing just two runs in 11 innings.

Miami will start right-hander Sandy Alcantara (4-11, 4.15 ERA), who was Miami's 2019 All-Star representative but hasn't pitched up to that level as a whole.

It will be Alcantara's first career start against the Reds, although he has faced them in relief twice, pitching a total of two scoreless innings.

More important for Alcantara in terms of this season has been his lack of success at Marlins Park, where he is 2-7 with a 4.57 ERA. His road ERA is much lower at 3.65.

The low point for Alcantara was July, when he went 0-3 with a 6.91 ERA in five starts. August has seen him improve: 0-1 but with a 2.36 ERA in four starts.

Still, the Marlins are just 8-17 when Alcantara starts, and he hasn't won a game since June 21, losing five straight decisions since then.

Look for Alcantara to be paired with backup catcher Bryan Holaday on Wednesday. In 11 games throwing to starting catcher Jorge Alfaro, Alcantara has a 5.28 ERA. But in 13 games with Holaday, he has a 3.78 ERA.

"Sandy feels comfortable with 'Holly'," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "It's been a pretty good combination. (Holaday) makes Sandy use his entire mix of pitches."

One of the batters Alcantara figures to battle on Wednesday is Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who returned to the lineup on Tuesday after missing two weeks due to a back injury.

"It was a one-off thing that required rest and rehab," said Votto, who went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts on Tuesday in his first action since Aug. 14. "This has happened to me before in the offseason."

While Votto shook off the rust on Tuesday, the Reds got a big game from catcher Curt Casali, who tied the score 3-3 with a solo homer in the fourth inning and gave Cincinnati a lead it did not relinquish with a two-run single in the fifth.

Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez homered for the third day in a row Tuesday, giving him a major-league-high 17 long balls since the All-Star break.

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Team Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Cincinnati            
Miami            

Scheduled Starting Pitchers

Anthony DeSclafani - MIN
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. Miami
Sandy Alcantara - MIA
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. Cincinnati

Hot Batters (Last 10 team games)

Injury Report

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