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Reds-Indians Preview

May 22, 2010 - 3:58 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Cincinnati (23-18) at Cleveland (15-24), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Facing a team that has as lifeless as the Cleveland Indians have been, the Cincinnati Reds have so far found it easier to avoid a late-inning letdown.

With two stunning defeats behind them, the Reds look to deal the Indians their sixth straight loss Saturday night.

Cincinnati (24-18) opened this three-game set with a 7-4 victory over its intrastate rival Friday night, with Francisco Cordero pitching the ninth for his 14th save in 17 chances.

The previous evening, Cordero had given up a game-ending grand slam in the ninth inning of a 10-9 loss to Atlanta. The Reds also suffered a walk-off loss Wednesday night, losing 5-4 to the Braves after Nick Masset allowed a run in the ninth.

Cincinnati managed to bounce back, remaining one-half game behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.

"You don't have a choice, really," manager Dusty Baker said. "You can dwell on it and stay in it or you can put it behind you. That shows the kind of character this team has. You have to do that in this game. You don't have time to feel down about the game you just played. When that happens, depression sets in and nothing good comes out of it."

Cleveland (15-25) has displayed no such resilience, losing five straight to fall to a season-worst 10 games below .500. The Indians have been held to 16 runs during their skid.

"With a lot of young guys in the lineup, you're going to take your lumps - as a manager and as a team," manager Manny Acta said.

Acta made some changes in an attempt to help his faltering lineup, moving Travis Hafner from cleanup to third and former Reds slugger Austin Kearns from fifth to fourth.

Shin-Soo Choo was also shifted, batting second instead of third, and he came through with two homers and three hits. Choo is batting .391 (9 for 23) in his last six games against the Reds.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, had a second straight outstanding game at the plate to earn its 17th win in 24 games.

Laynce Nix had three hits, including a tiebreaking double in the sixth inning, and Jonny Gomes homered for the Reds.

Nix is 6 for 9 with two homers and five RBIs in his last two games. In his two seasons in the NL, Gomes is hitting .343 (12 for 35) with four homers and eight RBIs in 10 games as a designated hitter.

Gomes is 0 for 4 against Fausto Carmona (4-1, 3.33 ERA), who will start Saturday for the Indians. He is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA over his last three outings.

The right-hander surrendered two runs and struck out seven in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-3, 11-inning loss to Tampa Bay on Monday night.

Carmona has not received a decision in one start and two relief appearances versus the Reds. He is 1-2 with a 2.96 ERA in four interleague starts.

Cincinnati will counter with Johnny Cueto (3-1, 3.67), who is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his last four starts. He gave up one run and struck out seven in seven innings of Cincinnati's 6-3 victory over Milwaukee on Monday night.

The right-hander's previous start was the finest of his career, a one-hitter in a 9-0 victory over Pittsburgh on May 11.

Cueto is 1-0 with a 2.33 ERA in three starts against the Indians, and 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA in seven interleague outings.