Cardinals-Reds Series Preview

CINCINNATI- The Cincinnati Reds will look to earn a rare series’ victory against the St Louis Cardinals this Memorial weekend, and you can bet there circling this one as a must, meaning they have to win this series, so they can at least stay in the NL Central division race.

Both teams are chasing the first-place Milwaukee  Brewers, but with the Cardinals having finished either first or second in the National League Central in each of the last five seasons, the Reds know they’ll have to beat the Cards for a shot at the division crown.

The Cardinals are making their second trip to Great American Ball Park, where they took two of three in the season-opening series. St. Louis is 4-2 against the Reds this season after taking two of three at home, the next week. Well the Cards, have won nine of their last 10 series against Cincinnati.

“It’s always fun to play them,” Price said. “The games are always high-spirited, competitive. I think there is a mutual respect, a mutual desire to go out there and knock the other one down a little bit.”

The Cardinals will see a different Cincinnati team out there Friday, than they saw during the first two weeks of the season. On Wednesday, the Reds activated Jay Bruce from the disabled list but placed Joey Votto on the DL. Bruce, who wasn’t in Wednesday’s starting lineup, had surgery literally two and a half weeks ago, to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee and hasn’t played since May 4. He’s hitting .216 with three homers in 30 games this season.

Votto, meanwhile, hit the DL due to a strained left quadriceps. The injury kept Votto out of the lineup the previous five games, so the move is retroactive to May 16. The first baseman has hit .257 with six homers and 12 RBIs in 39 games.

Homer Bailey will take the hill for the Reds. The right-hander is 3-3 with a 5.44 ERA in nine starts this season, the Cardinals will counter with Shelby Miller.

First pitch is at 7:10pm, TV : FSN OHIO, RADIO: 700 WLW.

May 17, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey (34) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports