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Reds move on without Keppinger

May 14, 2008 - 1:18 PM Florida (23-16) at Cincinnati (17-23) 7:10 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) - At the beginning of the season, the loss of Jeff Keppinger to the Cincinnati Reds' offense may have gone unnoticed. Now it appears they may struggle to find offense without him.

In their first full game without one of their offensive leaders, the Reds continue a four-game set with the Florida Marlins on Wednesday.

Keppinger is sidelined indefinitely after he fractured his left kneecap by fouling a ball off it in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Marlins.

Keppinger entered the season mostly as an afterthought until starting shortstop Alex Gonzalez opened the season on the disabled list with a broken left knee. The 28-year-old - acquired in a 2007 trade with the Kansas City Royals - ignited Cincinnati's offense, leading the team with a .324 batting average and 21 RBI.

Jerry Hairston Jr. figures to see a fair amount of playing time in his absence.

Ricky Nolasco (2-3, 5.35 ERA) will face the Reds lineup Wednesday looking to end Florida's two-game slide. The righthander snapped a four-game winless drought in Friday's 7-3 win over Washington as he yielded one run and four hits with a season-high six strikeouts.

Opposing him will be Bronson Arroyo (2-4, 7.14), who will pitch at home for the first time in four starts. The righthander is on just three days rest due to Saturday's doubleheader against the New York Mets.