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Reds-Rays Preview

Published Jun. 29, 2011 12:50 a.m. ET

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No Tampa Bay Rays pitcher has been on a run like James Shields over the last couple of weeks.

Shields looks to throw his fourth consecutive complete game when the Rays wrap up a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon.

Tampa Bay's bullpen has ended up getting the day off when Shields (8-4, 2.29 ERA) has toed the rubber in recent starts.

The right-hander tossed a five-hitter to beat Boston on June 14 and surrendered four hits en route to a victory over Florida five days later. Shields then became the first pitcher in Rays history to toss three straight complete games after holding Houston to three hits in a 5-1 road win Friday night.

Shields, who has struck out 24 and walked four with a 0.33 ERA during his run, leads the majors with six complete games. He had five in 167 career starts coming into 2011.

"I definitely didn't think it was going to be this many," Shields said after beating the Astros. "I thought I was going to get three or four or something like that. It's unbelievable. This is not how I expected to start, but it's exactly how I want to start. So I'm going to try to keep it going."

Shields also will be looking for his fourth straight complete game against an NL team. That streak started May 22 in Miami, where he held the Marlins to three hits and fanned a career-high 13 in a 4-0 win.

Cincinnati has yet to face Shields and counters with Edinson Volquez (4-3, 5.77), who will try to end his struggles against AL foes.

The right-hander is 0-2 with a 10.50 ERA in three interleague games this season. That's dropped Volquez's all-time mark versus the AL to 3-11 as he prepares to pitch against Tampa Bay for the first time.

Volquez appeared to have improved his mechanics by winning June 7 in his first start following a brief demotion to the minor leagues, but he hasn't posted a victory in three games since.

He threw 101 pitches through 4 1-3 innings, allowing four runs, seven hits and five walks in a 5-4, 12-inning loss to Baltimore on Friday.

After getting blanked in the series opener, Tampa Bay (45-35) posted a 4-3 win over Cincinnati (41-40) on Evan Longoria's walk-off solo homer Tuesday.

"He's lethal, especially late in games," said Rays pitcher David Price, who tied a career high with 12 strikeouts. "He wants to be at the plate at that time. I can guarantee you everybody in this clubhouse wants him up there, too."

Johnny Damon doubled, homered and drove in three to help the Rays win for the ninth time in 11 games. With 2,653 career hits, Damon needs one to tie Ted Williams for 71st on the all-time list.

"That's probably going to be the most special on the list. I think Ted Williams is top for me," said Damon, who spent four seasons with Boston and helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series.

The Reds struck out 14 times, setting a season high for a nine-inning game. Cincinnati had 16 strikeouts in a 19-inning loss to Philadelphia on May 25.

"These are tough to take," manager Dusty Baker said.

Reds shortstop Edgar Renteria singled home a run, leaving him one short of 900 RBIs for his career.

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