Mets 4 - 3 Reds
Final
  for this game

Reds aim to secure series win over Mets

Sep 7, 2014 - 12:58 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Does anyone else live here besides Johnny Cueto?

That's the question followers of the Cincinnati pitching staff may be asking on Sunday afternoon when the Reds -- who've won twice in eight games, both in Cueto starts -- host the New York Mets to close out a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds have been flat-out awful since the All-Star break, which they entered on a tear and within 1 1/2 games of first place in the National League's Central Division. They're the worst in the league at 16-31 since, however, and seem likely to finish below .500 this season after winning more than 90 games last season.

Cueto picked up his 17th win Saturday, taking a 2-1 verdict that tied him for the major league lead and boosting the Reds to 21-34 in one-run games, worst in the majors.

"The Ringo Starr: It don't come easy," manager Bryan Price said. "Today we won the way we have when we've won."

Cincinnati follows Cueto with Mat Latos, who came out after a rain delay and was nicked for four runs in the first inning of a 5-4 interleague loss to Baltimore on Tuesday -- his first defeat since late July.

"You know, all of your adrenaline comes out of the bullpen," he said. "I like to create a tempo in the bullpen how I am going to pitch in the game. I felt really good coming out of the pen."

He's split four decisions in seven lifetime starts against New York and has allowed just one run in 14 innings against the Mets in Cincinnati. New York had scored 26 runs in three games before facing Cueto and scoring once.

Zack Wheeler starts the finale for the visitors and tries to maintain a road streak that's seen him go eight starts without a loss since early June.

He got a no-decision in an iffy outing in Miami on Monday, getting tagged for five runs in 4 2/3 innings in a game New York lost, 9-6.

On Saturday, Chris Heisey's go-ahead home run in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Reds over New York.

Todd Frazier also homered among his two hits and Brayan Pena supplied two hits for the Reds.

Cueto (17-8) surrendered just one run on six hits with eight strikeouts over seven innings of work. He is now tied with Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw for the most wins in the majors.

Dilson Herrera hit an RBI single and Travis d'Arnaud had two doubles with a run scored for New York, which entered the game with three straight wins.

Dillon Gee (6-7) was tagged with the loss after giving up both runs on seven hits with six strikeouts across seven frames.






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