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Pirates look to end skid vs. Reds

Sep 2, 2008 - 1:37 PM Pittsburgh (57-79) at Cincinnati (61-76) 7:10 p.m. EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will look for a change of fortune in September.

After posting a 7-21 record in August, the Pirates concluded the month with a 10-game losing streak they carry with them to Cincinnati when they open a three-game set against the Reds on Tuesday.

The 10-game skid is the longest for the franchise since they dropped 13 straight in June, 2006.

Ian Snell (5-10, 5.77) will attempt to bounce back from a subpar outing his last time out. The righthander allowed five runs, five hits and four walks over four innings, but did not earn a decision in the Pirates 14-9 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

The 26-year-old will face off against a Reds team that tallied 27 runs in a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants over the weekend. Snell is 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA in three starts against the Reds this season.

Cincinnati counters with Aaron Harang (4-14, 5.27), a loser in five of his last six decisions. He is 0-3 in his last four home starts, posting an 11.17 ERA, including a seven-inning, three-run no decision in the Reds 4-3 win over the Pirates on June 30.

Harang, 30, lost his career-high 14th game of the season in his last outing. He allowed three runs, all on solo home runs, and seven hits in seven innings on August 28 as Cincinnati fell to the Houston Astros, 3-2.