Rookie lefty Mike Kickham makes the third start of his big- league career on Monday night when the San Francisco Giants visit Great American Ball Park for the first of four games with the Cincinnati Reds.
A sixth-round pick of the Giants in 2010, Kickham debuted in the minors with San Francisco's team in the Arizona rookie league and allowed three runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings of three relief outings.
He spent 2011 with Augusta of the South Atlantic League and was 5-10 in 21 starts with a 4.11 ERA in 111 2/3 innings, then was at Richmond of the Double- A Eastern League and went 11-10 in 28 appearances.
He began this season and won three of eight decisions in 14 starts with Fresno of the Triple-A Fresno, then debuted in the majors on May 28 by allowing four runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings of a 6-3 loss to Oakland.
His second start came a month later in Los Angeles against the Dodgers and he gave up six runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-5 loss on June 25.
For the Reds, veteran Bronson Arroyo faces the Giants for the 13th time in his 340th big-league start.
He's won three of eight decisions in the initial 12 meetings while posting a 3.13 earned run average while walking 25 batters and striking out 42.
Arroyo won four games in a five-start stretch between May 12-June 3, but has since gone 0-1 in four starts while allowing 13 runs in 24 2/3 innings.
In his last start, Arroyo was a 7-3 loser at Oakland after allowing seven runs on seven hits in four innings on June 25.
On Sunday in Colorado, the Giants' offense broke out and helped snap a six- game losing streak in a 5-2 win against the Rockies in the finale of a three- game series.
Buster Posey and Hunter Pence each homered as the Giants also won for the first time in their last eight road games.
Madison Bumgarner (8-5) tossed his fourth straight quality start to earn the win. Bumgarner gave up one run on four hits with five strikeouts over seven innings.
In Texas, Yu Darvish tossed six scoreless frames and the Rangers edged Cincinnati, 3-2, in the rubber match of a three-game interleague series.
Jay Bruce and Chris Heisey knocked in a run apiece for the Reds, who have dropped seven of their last nine. Mat Latos (7-2) was charged in defeat for eight hits and three runs -- two earned -- while fanning nine with two walks over 6 2/3 frames.
The Reds won the season series with the Giants, 4-3, in 2012 and downed San Francisco, 5-2, in 2011.
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