(SportsNetwork.com) - The Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants will kick off a four-game series Thursday from Great American Ball Park.
The Reds have won two in a row following a three-game slide and took their series with the Atlanta Braves thanks to Wednesday's 5-1 win.
Todd Frazier and Marlon Byrd both homered, while Joey Votto had a pair of hits with an RBI and a run scored for the Reds.
Reds starter Raisel Iglesias was impressive in his second career start, allowing one run and striking out five in eight innings of work. Iglesias walked the first batter he faced and retired 12 straight from there. He allowed his first hit when pinch-hitter Eric Young Jr. singled to center to start the sixth.
"It was special for all of us to be there to see him pitch such a good ball game," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Iglesias. "We're all proud of him."
Johnny Cueto draws the start for Price's club Thursday and has won three of his last four trips to the mound. Cueto gave up four runs across 8 1/3 innings of a 10-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday and pushed his record to 3-3 in seven starts to go along with a 2.98 earned run average.
Cueto has made five career starts against San Francisco and is 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA.
The Giants split a quick two-game set with the Houston Astros and sustained a 4-3 loss on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park. George Springer hit a home run off of Jeremy Affeldt in the eighth to put Houston ahead for good.
Buster Posey hit a two-run homer and finished with three hits and three RBI for the Giants, who are still 8-4 this month. Tim Hudson got the start for San Francisco and was reached for three runs in 5 1/3 innings.
"Our execution got us tonight. Little things, productive outs and missed hit- and-runs. Those things catch up to you in a close ballgame," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
Tim Lincecum gets the ball for the Giants Thursday and is 3-2 with a 2.00 earned run average in six starts. Lincecum has won back-to-back starts, throwing a total of 14 scoreless innings. He tossed eight innings of three-hit ball against the L.A. Angels on May 3, then limited Miami to three hits across six innings of a 6-0 win last Friday.
Lincecum hasn't achieved much success in his career against Reds, going 0-4 with a lofty 9.79 ERA in six starts.
The Reds were 5-2 against the Giants last season.