Major League Baseball

Yankees-Reds Preview

Published Jun. 22, 2011 4:04 p.m. ET

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While the New York Yankees continue their surge, the Cincinnati Reds are having trouble snapping out of their slump.

The teams heading in opposite directions of late complete their three-game interleague series in a day-night doubleheader at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday.

Tuesday's game was postponed because of rain and a forecast of storms moving through all evening.

"We'll have some guys that are going to have to play a doubleheader tomorrow, but we get Thursday off and we get Monday off," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "That should help."

The Reds (38-36) will hope for some support from a struggling offense. Despite being among the major league leaders in runs, the Reds have scored seven in their last four games.

Cleanup hitter Jay Bruce is hitting .160 over his last eight games and has driven in two runs in the past 17. Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto went hitless for the third time in four games in Monday's series-opening 5-3 loss.

"We're having a hard time getting batters on base - in any inning - and getting their pitchers into a stretch right away," manager Dusty Baker said. "We've got to come up with a way to get one or two guys on right away."

New York (42-29) scored four runs in the first inning Monday - more than Cincinnati has scored in any of its last four games - propelling the Yankees to their ninth win in 11 games.

"An ideal first inning," Alex Rodriguez said. "We'll take that every time."

Rodriguez is reportedly playing with a sore left shoulder but has yet to specify anything aside from some discomfort. Girardi had been planning to give Rodriguez the day off Wednesday, and he'll likely not start one of the doubleheader games.

"It makes it tough to play Alex two games," Girardi said. "I'll have to talk to him. You might DH a guy in the second game that played in the first game, but you can't do that (here). So his DH might in a sense be one pinch-hit appearance."

Freddy Garcia (5-6, 3.63 ERA) will pitch the opener for New York. He's 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three starts against the Reds and 13-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 20 interleague road starts.

One of those losses for the right-hander was against the Cubs on Friday, as he gave up three runs over seven innings in a 3-1 defeat.

Mike Leake (6-3, 4.04) will oppose him in his first start against the Yankees. The right-hander went 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA over four starts before yielding three runs over seven innings in Friday's 3-2 loss to Toronto.

Leake will be followed in Game 2 by ace Johnny Cueto (4-2, 1.68), who was scratched shortly before Monday's game due to neck soreness, marking another blow to a team which has lost three of four.

"Johnny feels better pitching at night, and the extra hours might be good for his neck situation," Baker said.

The right-hander hasn't allowed an earned run in 14 innings over his last two starts - both victories. He gave up an unearned run in the first inning last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and allowed five hits over seven innings.

Cueto also has been solid in interleague play in recent years, another plus for the Reds, who have lost six of seven against AL opponents. He's 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA in his last five interleague starts.

However, Cueto lost his only outing against the Yankees on June 22, 2008, despite giving up one run in five innings while striking out seven.

Yankees right-hander Brian Gordon (0-0, 3.38) will make his second career start in the nightcap after allowing two runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 3-2, 12-inning victory Thursday against Texas.

The Yankees have won 11 of 15 interleague games.

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