Reds 4 - 5 Pirates
Final/11
  for this game

Latos carries unblemished mark into finale with Pirates

Jun 2, 2013 - 1:23 PM (Sports Network) - Not only is Mat Latos unbeaten this season, but the Cincinnati right-hander has yet to lose in his career when facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He'll take the mound Sunday afternoon with the Reds on an amazing shutout streak.

Latos aims for his sixth win without a defeat in 2013 when the Reds go for a three-game whitewash at PNC Park. The Reds haven't allowed a run in this weekend's two games, earning 6-0 and 2-0 victories. Overall, the Reds are riding a 22-inning scoreless stretch for their pitchers.

Latos, who is 19-4 since joining the Reds prior to last season, has been stellar on the mound in his last three starts. He gave up five hits and a run over 6 1/3 innings Tuesday in an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Just having Latos on the mound at the start of a game has proven beneficial for the Reds, who are 32-12 in games he's started for them throughout his career. Cincinnati has won his last seven starts and nine of this season's 11 starts.

In seven career starts against the Pirates, Latos is 4-0 with a 2.40 ERA.

Pittsburgh righty Jeanmar Gomez also heads into this afternoon's start unbeaten on the season, although he doesn't have a decision in each of his last four appearances. Gomez, who is 1-0 with a 2.15 ERA in his first six starts this season, was acquired Jan. 9 from Cleveland. He tossed seven scoreless frames and gave up three hits in his last start, but didn't get a decision in Pittsburgh's 1-0, 11-inning win at Detroit Tuesday night.

The Pirates have won each of the six games he has started and are 9-2 overall in his 11 appearances.

Gomez is 0-1 with a 1.23 ERA in two career games (1 start) against the Reds.

Last night, Mike Leake tossed six innings to lead the Reds to a 2-0 win. Leake (5-2) scattered seven hits -- all singles -- and struck out five while walking just one. Three Cincinnati relievers kept the Pirates off the board over the final three frames, with Aroldis Chapman stranding a pair of runners in the ninth to notch his 14th save of the season.

"I'm not worried about giving up hits," Leake said. "I haven't my whole career and my whole life. It's part of my game. I have to make sure they don't multiply."

The performance comes one day after Johnny Cueto fired eight innings of one- hit ball in a 6-0 triumph in the opener of this three-game set.

Pittsburgh, which has totaled only one run over its last 30 innings, left 10 men on overall while going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Those offensive failures spoiled an outstanding start from Francisco Liriano (3-2), who fanned 11 Reds through six innings but was touched for a run on four hits.

Brandon Phillips had an RBI single in the fourth inning and finished 2-for-3 to pace Cincinnati, with Joey Votto also contributing a run-scoring hit.

Alex Presley collected three hits for Pittsburgh, which lost back-to-back games for the first time since May 8-9.

"Leake was tough tonight, switching speeds," Presley said.

The Pirates swept a three-game series over the Reds at PNC Park during the season's first month (April 12-14).






Related News