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May 1, 2016 - 11:48 PM Johnny Cueto had one of his strongest performances since joining the San Francisco Giants in his latest start, and he's also been at his best in his first two road outings for his new club.

Cueto will likely have a little extra adrenaline for his next start away from home Monday night as he faces his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, for the first time.

Cueto (4-1, 2.65 ERA) fanned 11 and scattered seven hits while going the distance in a 1-0 win against San Diego on Tuesday, his 100th career victory and seventh shutout.

"I'm not surprised by what he's doing because he's had that kind of career," manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's why we wanted him here. He kept his composure out there and just made some great pitches."

Cueto has allowed one run and pitched at least seven innings while winning each of his two road starts for the Giants (13-13). He'll try to become their first starter to win his first three for the club since Yusmeiro Petit in 2013 in his return to Cincinnati (10-15).

Cueto acknowledged that he was "a little excited" to face the Reds but also told MLB's official website that "it's just baseball." He spent his first eight-plus seasons in Cincinnati until a four-player deal sent him to Kansas City on July 26.

San Francisco signed him to a six-year deal this offseason valued at $130 million, and even he doesn't know what kind of reception he'll get from Reds fans.

"The shock of Cueto not being with the Reds anymore has kind of passed for me," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price told MLB's official website. "However, it will be unusual to see him pitching against our team in Cincinnati. ... I'm sure it will mean a lot to Cueto to come back."

The Giants are heading to Cincinnati after avoiding a three-game sweep to the New York Mets and earning just their second win in eight road games. Hunter Pence homered and drove in three runs in a 6-1 victory Sunday, giving him 11 RBIs in his last seven games.

Cincinnati persevered to end a six-game losing streak Sunday, topping Pittsburgh 6-5 in 11 innings. The Reds blew a two-run advantage and a pair of one-run leads, including one in the ninth, until Scott Schebler's go-ahead double.

Cincinnati dropped three of four to the Chicago Cubs in its most recent home series after winning seven of its first nine games there. The Reds have lost five of their last six home matchups against San Francisco and went 2-5 overall in last season's series.

Brandon Finnegan, acquired from Kansas City in the Cueto deal, will head to the mound to open a 10-game homestand. The left-hander didn't make it past the fourth inning in his most recent start at Great American Ball Park, a 16-0 loss to the Cubs that featured Jake Arrieta's no-hitter, but had a more respectable showing Tuesday against the Mets.

Finnegan (1-1, 3.86) pitched six scoreless innings before giving up Yoenis Cespedes' tying three-run homer in a 4-3 defeat. He will make his first start against San Francisco and his first appearance versus the Giants since facing them in two games in the 2014 World Series.

Angel Pagan's status is unknown for the Giants after he was forced to leave Sunday's win with a strained left hamstring. Joe Panik (groin) will likely sit out for a third straight contest.

Brandon Belt batted .467 with three homers, five other extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in the seven games against Cincinnati last season.