Reds Look to Sweep Two-Game Series with Rangers

The struggling Cincinnati Reds visit the  high-flying Texas Rangers in an interleague showdown on Wednesday. The current line has Texas favored at -203, with Cincinnati on +136 and the over/under run total sitting on 9.

Entering this game, Cincinnati has a record of 28-43 overall and 11-24 on the road. The Reds are 5-5 in their past 10 games played. Texas has a record of 46-26 overall and 25-11 at home. The Rangers are 8-2 over their past 10 games played.

Cincinnati will send Dan Straily to the mound on Wednesday. The Reds right-hander is 4-3 with an ERA of 3.66 on the season. Texas will counter with Cole Hamels. The Rangers left-hander is 7-1 with an ERA of 2.88.

Hamels dominated Cincinnati while pitching for Philadelphia compiling a record of 9-1 with an ERA of 1.96 in 14 starts for his career. Hamels pitched well last week versus St. Louis allowing 3 hits in 7 2/3 innings for a 1-0 win.

Last Thursday, Straily had his worst outing for this season allowing 6 runs on 7 hits over 4 1/3 innings in a loss against Atlanta. In 9 appearances in his career versus Texas, of which 8 were starts, Straily has a record of 3-2 with an ERA of 4.47.

Jay Bruce an outfielder for Cincinnati has been mentioned in trade rumors a number of times this season and the slugger has been increasing his trade value with a hot bat. In Tuesday’s opening game against Texas, Bruce had 3 hits including a home run with 4 RBIs.

Bruce has a batting average of .306, with 6 home runs and 22 RBIs in June including multiple RBIs in 5 of his past 9 games played. Bruce on the season has 55 RBIs, which is second in the National League. Joey Votto the starting first baseman for Cincinnati missed Tuesday’s game due to illness.

Texas had a winning streak of seven straight games snapped in Tuesday’s loss. Jurickson Profar hit a 2-run home run Tuesday for Texas and is hitting .344 for the month of June.

Texas right fielder Shin-Sho Choo was 0-for-4 on Tuesday and has 4 hits in 21 bats during his past five games.

Raisel Iglesias the opening day starter for Cincinnati was activated by the Reds and will be available to pitch in relief.

Prediction: The Rangers will be too much for the Reds in this with Hamels on the mound. Lean on Texas.