The Cincinnati Reds are in position to record their first winning road trip of the season.
They can do so by matching a season high with their third straight victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Cincinnati (25-29) opened this seven-game trip with two straight losses at Dodger Stadium before salvaging the finale. The Reds totaled three hits while falling 4-0 at Arizona on Thursday, but belted out 22 in outscoring the Diamondbacks 11-4 to win the last two contests.
They scored three runs four times and were shut out twice while losing five of six prior to the two straight victories.
Johnny Cueto pitched 7 1-3 strong innings to lower his ERA to 1.68 while the top three batters in the order went 6 for 14 with three RBIs and scored all the runs in Saturday's 5-0 victory. Brandon Phillips had two hits and two RBIs as the Reds improved to 3-3 on the trip and 13-17 away from home.
"We're trying to put some wins together," said Reds manager Bryan Price, whose team opens a 10-game homestand Tuesday. "We've won some series, but we really haven't run off a winning streak, which would really help us."
Cincinnati's Alfredo Simon (6-3, 2.90 ERA) allowed one run and 10 hits over 14 2-3 innings to win two straight starts before giving up five, including four in a fourth inning he never finished, and walking four during a 6-3 loss at Los Angeles on Tuesday.
"Alfredo's strength really so far, beyond having very good stuff, has been to execute quality pitches. And that got away from him a little bit," Price said.
Though the right-hander is making his first start against the Diamondbacks (23-35), he has given up four hits over eight scoreless innings of four appearances versus Arizona.
Simon won't have to worry about facing A.J. Pollock, who fractured his right hand after being hit by a pitch from Cueto. The leadoff man was hitting .522 (12 for 23) with six doubles, a triple and a home run while the Diamondbacks went 3-3 on this seven-game homestand.
"That is a big blow," manager Kirk Gibson said of Pollock, who batted .379 over his last 23 games. "He has been playing great, emerging. He has been huge for us. I don't know how else to say it."
Teammate Gerardo Parra had half of the Diamondbacks' six hits Saturday, but he is 0 for 4 versus Simon.
Arizona's Wade Miley (3-5, 4.76) is 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA in his last four home starts, but he allowed three runs and struck out a career-high 11 in seven innings while not factoring in the decision of a 4-3 loss to San Diego on Tuesday at Chase Field.
The left-hander has allowed three runs in each of his three starts against the Reds while going 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA.
Phillips is 3 for 9 with two doubles versus Miley.
After three straight seasons with at least 30 home runs, Cincinnati's Jay Bruce has three in 38 games this year and none in his last 21 contests. His only hit in six at-bats against Miley left the park.
