Latos, Reds shoot for sweep of Cubs

Cincinnati right-hander Mat Latos tries to extend his scoreless streak when the Reds go for a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Latos has not been scored upon in 17 straight innings, which is four frames shy of his career-high set May 1-18, 2010. He's won his last two starts and on Monday gave up five hits in six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. Latos has piled up 37 strikeouts and walked only eight batters in his six starts this season.

Going back to the regular season last year and not counting the playoffs, Latos is 6-0 over a 13-start span. His last defeat in the regular season came Aug. 24 against the Cardinals.

In six career starts against the Cubs, Latos is 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA. That includes a seven-inning shutout gem on April 24 at Great American Ball Park, a game the Reds won, 1-0.

Edwin Jackson, who has yet to find the win column in six starts this season, counters for the Cubs. The right-hander was shelled for 11 hits and eight runs over 4 2/3 innings of a 13-7 loss to the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. The problem for Jackson has been his early-game problems. Of his 28 runs allowed, 12 have come in the first or second innings.

Jackson is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three lifetime games when facing the Reds.

Yesterday, the Reds used a four-run eighth inning to beat the Cubs, 6-4.

Shin-Soo Choo hit a solo homer for the Reds, who recorded their first road series victory of the year. Zack Cozart, Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, Jack Hannahan and Devin Mesoraco added an RBI apiece.

"It feels really good to come back," Cozart said. "It's a nice team effort. We manufactured runs."

Cincinnati starter Tony Cingrani gave up four runs on three hits while striking out five over six innings for Cincinnati, which has won eight straight at Wrigley Field. Logan Ondrusek (2-0) tossed a scoreless seventh to pick up the win.

Alfonso Soriano hit a pair of two-run homers for the Cubs, who have dropped three in a row.

Jeff Samardzija allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits over while striking out five over six innings. Carlos Marmol (2-2) was charged with three runs while failing to record an out in the eighth.

"The definition of a good lineup is that they make you throw a lot of pitches. They're grind you down, foul balls off, especially your out pitches," Samardzija said.

The Reds won two of three in a series in April and 12 of 16 games between the teams in 2012.