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Marlins-Reds Preview

Aug 13, 2010 - 5:57 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Florida (57-56) at Cincinnati (64-51), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Cincinnati Reds were swept and bumped from first place by their chief NL Central competition this week, and their playoff push likely won't get any easier Friday night.

The major league ERA leader will be Cincinnati's opponent and manager Dusty Baker won't be in the dugout as the Reds attempt to bounce back against Josh Johnson and the visiting Florida Marlins.

The Reds' emotional series against St. Louis included a bench-clearing brawl during Tuesday's game, with tensions escalating after Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips called the Cardinals complainers.

St. Louis answered with its play, holding the Reds (64-51) to a total of eight runs during the three-game sweep to take a one-game lead in the division.

"We're just going to look forward," Phillips said. "There is no reason to panic. They're a good team. They've been to the playoffs so many times."

Phillips was one of four players fined following the brawl, and Cincinnati must play its next two games without Baker, who was suspended along with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto was given a seven-game ban.

Cincinnati had Thursday off before facing a Cy Young Award contender for the second straight game. St. Louis' Adam Wainwright pitched seven shutout innings in the Reds' 6-1 loss Wednesday.

Johnson (10-4, 1.97 ERA) is the only pitcher with a better ERA than Wainwright, and he's hungry for his first win since July 17.

The big right-hander is 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in his last three outings, a relative slump after he went 13 consecutive starts without allowing more than two runs from May 13-July 22.

Despite holding the Cardinals to two runs and five hits in eight innings Saturday, Johnson missed out on a victory when Florida closer Leo Nunez blew a save. The Marlins won 5-4 in 10 innings.

"He's had some tough luck with not a whole lot of run support," teammate Dan Uggla told the Marlins' official website. "But Josh is going to go out and compete and battle. He's not going to ever complain about anything. ... He didn't get the win, but he's the MVP of that game in my book."

Johnson had 10 strikeouts while holding the Reds to one run in six innings of a 10-2 win April 15, improving to 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in three appearances - two starts - against Cincinnati.

Reds right-hander Edinson Volquez (2-1, 4.94) has been nearly as sharp against the Marlins, posting a 1.80 ERA while winning all three of his starts - none since his 2009 Tommy John surgery.

Volquez has walked 19 in 23 2-3 innings since returning from the disabled list, but he's 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA in two August starts after limiting the Cubs to one run in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-3 victory Saturday.

He'll try to prevent a fourth consecutive home loss for the Reds, which would be their longest skid of the season at Great American Ball Park. They've dropped six of eight at home after starting 31-20 there.

The Marlins (57-56) have won six of seven on the road and four straight overall, matching their longest winning streak of the season.

Mike Stanton, Florida's 20-year-old rookie, powered a three-game sweep at Washington this week, going 8 for 12 with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs.

"The kid is unbelievable," teammate Ricky Nolasco said. "This is just a small glimpse of what we're going to see."