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Rizzo, Cubs try to secure series win over Reds

Sep 16, 2014 - 2:40 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - For the Cincinnati Reds, it just sort of figured that Anthony Rizzo's long-awaited comeback would be against them.

The Chicago slugger returned from an extended bout with a bad back and doomed the Reds with a walk-off home run in Monday's opener, and his Cubs will try to make it two straight on Tuesday night in game two of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

Rizzo struck out twice and singled in three at-bats after missing 18 games, then homered in the ninth inning to give the Cubs a 1-0 victory.

"He hasn't had the luxury of actually going out on a rehab assignment and seeing live pitching again in terms of game-type situations," manager Rick Renteria said. "He certainly made the adjustment in his last at-bat."

In his last 11 games against the Reds, Rizzo has a .366 batting average with eight home runs and 10 runs batted in. He's second in the National League in homers behind Miami's Giancarlo Stanton, with 31.

The battle gets no easier on Tuesday, though, when Cincinnati starts ace Johnny Cueto, who can equal a career mark for wins in a season and tie Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw for the big-league lead.

He's won three consecutive decisions while allowing just three runs.

Cueto held St. Louis to three hits in eight innings of his last start on Thursday, which resulted in a 1-0 victory for the Reds. He's seven strikeouts away from matching Jose Rijo's 229 in 1993. That's the highest for a Cincinnati pitcher since Mario Soto struck out 242 in 1983.

He's split two starts against the Cubs this season.

The Reds have scored only 10 runs in their last five games, including the Monday loss, in which they had just three hits.

"We tried to create scoring opportunities, but they just wouldn't give in," manager Bryan Price said.

Chicago opposes Cueto with Jake Arrieta, who's won three of his last four starts at home while compiling a 1.65 ERA. He was beaten, 7-2, by the Reds on Aug. 28, but has allowed just three runs in two subsequent starts.