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With trade rumors swirling, Lowe takes the ball in Cincy

Jul 23, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - Derek Lowe's name has popped up recently in trade talks.

Given the way he's pitched of late the Atlanta Braves may want to consider keeping him around.

Lowe goes after his fourth win in five starts this afternoon when the Braves continue a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The veteran right-hander, who is reportedly being targeted by the Detroit Tigers, picked up his latest win on Monday in Colorado, as he allowed four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 frames to run his record to 6-7 on the year to go along with a 4.37 earned run average.

"It's something you have no control over," Lowe said of the trade talks. "You take it as a compliment. How many 38-year-old pitchers are out there on the market that people want? I've always had confidence in myself, especially in the second half."

Lowe couldn't get out of the fourth inning the last time he faced the Reds, yielding five runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 frames. However, he is 4-2 lifetime against them with a 3.89 ERA in seven games (six starts).

Atlanta won in dramatic fashion on Friday, as Dan Uggla's pinch-hit two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning was the difference in a 6-4 win.

Alex Gonzalez singled to center off Nick Masset (1-4) leading off the ninth inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Brooks Conrad and a lineout from Nate McLouth, Uggla faced a 3-2 count on the seventh pitch of his at-bat when he hammered a 96 mph fastball over the wall in right-center field.

Uggla, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games with the blast, has been hampered by a strained left calf. He could be back in the starting lineup this afternoon, though.

Craig Kimbrel retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth for his major league-leading 31st save of the year. Jonny Venters (5-1) pitched the eighth inning to get the win.

Martin Prado, Jason Heyward and Brian McCann each went deep off Bronson Arroyo, as the Braves remained four games behind Philadelphia for first place in the NL East. The Phillies shut down San Diego, 3-1, Friday night.

"The first half [of the season] was not clicking like we kind of thought it would, but we kept battling and we always have enough to win," Uggla said. "The second half has been clicking a lot better and we've been scoring a lot more runs."

The Reds, who had just five hits, lost for the third time in four games.

Hoping to reverse their fortunes today the Reds turn to righty Homer Bailey, who is 4-4 with a 3.74 ERA. Bailey was impressive in beating the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, holding them to a run and three hits in 7 1/3 frames.

"Warming up before the game, I didn't have anything," Bailey said. "I was all over the place. I didn't even think I was going to make it past the second. But it was a matter of trusting Ryan [Hanigan, his battery-mate], making pitches and having good things happen."

This will be his first-ever appearance against the Braves.

Atlanta took two of three from the Reds earlier the year.