Reds send Cueto to mound in finale with Cardinals

(SportsNetwork.com) - Johnny Cueto has won 18 games only once in his career and can make it twice Thursday for the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a four-game series versus the St. Louis Cardinals.

Cueto is trying to match Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (18-3) for the most wins in baseball and went 19-9 in 33 starts for the Reds in 2012. He is 17-8 with a 2.23 earned run average through 30 starts this season and 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last two starts.

In Saturday's 2-1 win over the New York Mets, Cueto struck out eight batters and allowed one run in seven innings. He is 12-3 with a 2.44 ERA in his last 17 starts, with the Reds going 13-4 in that stretch. Cueto improved to 10-4 in 15 home appearances, but is 4-6 with a 4.55 ERA in 17 career starts against St. Louis.

The right-hander has lost both of his starts against the Cardinals this season, charged with six runs -- five earned -- and 10 hits in 12 innings.

St. Louis will counter with Lance Lynn and he has won 15 games in three straight seasons. Lynn improved to 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in his last seven starts (Cardinals 6-1 in that time) and defeated Milwaukee on the road his last time out on Saturday.

Lynn gave up three runs (1 earned) in six innings of a 5-3 win and has not allowed more than three runs in a start since June 28 at Los Angeles. The right-hander has also lasted at least six innings in five straight outings.

Lynn has won all three of his starts against the Reds this season, allowing eight runs in 18 innings of work, and is 6-1 with a 4.02 ERA in 12 career games (9 starts) in this series.

The Cardinals will try to earn a split of this series with the Reds and dropped a 4-2 decision Wednesday night. The Cardinals posted their runs in the first inning on an RBI double by Matt Adams and a run-scoring single from Oscar Taveras.

Tyler Lyons was dealt the loss and gave up two runs -- one earned -- in 2 1/3 innings. Starter John Lackey lasted only two innings and allowed two runs and four hits before being ejected in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes. Home-plate umpire Tom Hallion tossed Lackey from the game.

"Lackey was warned to quit arguing balls and strikes," Hallion said after the game. "When I came out and I gave him a warning, that was it, knock it off. And he continued to argue, which got him ejected."

St. Louis has lost two in a row after winning nine of 10 games, and its lead atop the NL Central standings is now 3 1/2 games ahead of Pittsburgh. The Cardinals will close out this eight-game road trip (4-3) this afternoon and will return to Busch Stadium this weekend for nine games versus Colorado, Milwaukee and Cincinnati.

The Reds are 3-3 on a seven-game homestand and are aiming for a series win over the Cardinals.

Ryan Ludwick homered and both Brandon Phillips and starting pitcher Alfredo Simon added two hits and an RBI for Cincinnati last night. Simon also tossed seven innings of two-run ball for the win.

"He was a little erratic early, but he rallied and did a super job," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Simon.

Aroldis Chapman struck out two batters in the ninth for his 32nd save.

Cincinnati will hit the road this weekend for nine games against the Brewers, Cubs and Cardinals.

St. Louis is 10-5 against Cincinnati this season.