Reds lean on act Latos versus Brewers
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Staff ace Mat Latos aims for a third win in four decisions on Friday night when the playoff-pursuing Cincinnati Reds visit the Milwaukee Brewers for the first of three weekend games at Miller Park.
The Reds enter the series in a comfortable, but improvable postseason position. They're now in possession of the National League's second Wild Card spot and lead that pursuit by 5 1/2 games over the Washington Nationals.
However, they're just 2 1/2 games behind both Pittsburgh and St. Louis in the NL Central Division, which means they could still earn the division crown for the third time in four seasons.
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Latos, in his second full season with the Reds after a trade that sent Edinson Volquez, among others, to San Diego, was a 7-2 winner over the Cardinals on Sept. 2 after going the nine-inning distance and giving up two runs on four hits.
He dropped a 6-1 verdict to St. Louis one start before and defeated Arizona, 2-1, one start prior to that one. In his most recent outing, he got a no- decision in the Reds' 4-3 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers after allowing three runs in seven innings.
The Virginia native is 2-3 in seven career starts against the Brewers and dropped a 2-0 verdict to them on Aug. 17 at Miller Park after going seven innings and allowing two runs on six hits.
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He's 5-4 in 16 road starts in 2013.
For Milwaukee, veteran righty Kyle Lohse faces the Reds for the 15th time in his career.
The California native is 4-4 in the initial 14 outings, including a 2-1 loss on Aug. 15 at Miller Park in which he allowed a single earned run on five hits in seven innings.
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Lohse pitched for the Reds in 2006 and 2007 and was 9-17 for them in 33 appearances.
He's 1-1 in four starts since last facing Cincinnati, including an 8-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs in his most recent outing on Sept. 6.
On Thursday in St. Louis, Sean Halton smacked a two-run homer and drove in three in the Brewers' 5-3 win over the Cardinals in the finale of a three-game set.
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Tyler Thornburg (2-1) fanned six and surrendered two runs on three hits and two walks over six innings for Milwaukee, which dropped the first two in the series.
Jim Henderson gave up a run in the ninth, but still got credited with his 25th save of the year in the triumph.
On Wednesday in Cincinnati, Jack Hannahan clubbed a pinch-hit three-run homer and five pitchers combined to shut out the Cubs, as the Reds got a 6-0 win.
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Devin Mesoraco went 3-for-4 with a solo home run for the Reds, who dodged being swept at home by the Cubs for the first time in 12 years.
Reds starter Mike Leake picked up his career-high 13th win of the season after limiting the Cubs to four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Leake (13-6) struck out six and overcame bouts of wildness as indicated by four walks.
"Our pitching all-around has been doing a very good job," Leake said. "You never feel like we're gonna blow it. It's nice to have that confidence behind everyone."
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The Reds won nine of the first 16 games with the Brewers this season, a year after winning the 2012 season series, 9-6.