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Giants-Reds Preview

Jun 7, 2010 - 12:28 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

San Francisco (29-25) at Cincinnati (32-24), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Cincinnati Reds are hoping to display their usual power-hitting prowess at home. They bailed out an ineffective Johnny Cueto on the road in his last outing.

Cueto will be on the mound Monday night when the Reds start a 10-game stretch at Great American Ball Park with the first of four against the San Francisco Giants.

Cincinnati (33-24) leads the NL in numerous offensive categories at home, including runs (166), homers (45), batting average (.291) and slugging percentage (.487). The Reds are 19-11 at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds weren't quite as productive on their just-completed 3-3 road trip, totaling 26 runs with a .413 slugging percentage and four homers - three by Scott Rolen. Cincinnati captured the final two games of a weekend series in Washington, winning 5-4 in 10 innings on Sunday.

Drew Stubbs capped a three-hit effort with an RBI single in the 10th after closer Francisco Cordero couldn't hold a two-run lead in the ninth.

Joey Votto was the only Cincinnati batter other than Rolen to homer on the trip. The Reds feel it will be a different story at home.

"We're going to keep it going," said outfielder Jonny Gomes, who has hit five of his seven homers at home. It's good to carry a win into home."

Cincinnati has won seven straight starts by Cueto (5-1, 4.09 ERA), who is 5-0 with a 3.27 ERA in that span. That includes a 2-0 mark with a 1.89 ERA in his last three home starts.

Cueto, however, was terrible in his last outing, allowing a season-high eight runs over five-plus innings Tuesday. He did not get a decision in the 9-8 win at St. Louis, failing to record a strikeout for the first time in 72 career starts.

The right-hander has never faced the Giants (30-25).

San Francisco enters this contest off a Sunday victory similar to the one by Cincinnati.

Giants closer Brian Wilson blew his second save by giving up a tying, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth before Freddy Sanchez capped a big series with a sacrifice fly in the 10th of a 6-5 win at Pittsburgh.

"There's no getting around it, that would have been a tough one if we hadn't come away with the win," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Sanchez went 7 for 13 in the series, and is 18 for 36 during a 10-game hitting streak.

Giants starter Barry Zito (6-2, 2.78) is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his last three outings. He gave up one run over seven innings Tuesday in a 2-1, 11-inning loss to Colorado.

The left-hander is 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA in five career starts against the Reds since joining the Giants in 2007. The only Cincinnati batter who has ever homered against him, however, is light-hitting Miguel Cairo.

The Giants and Reds split six games in 2009.