Scott Diamond will toe the rubber for Minnesota as the Twins, in their final interleague series of the season, attempt to take two of three games from the first-place Reds.
Diamond (5-3, 2.57 ERA) posted perhaps his worst outing of 2012 on Tuesday against Pittsburgh, giving up four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old lefty will need to keep the ball down in homer-friendly Great American Ball Park, and Diamond’s pitching style is conducive to doing just that. He’s walked just eight batters and given up seven home runs in 56 innings this season, and he gets 2.5 ground ball outs for every fly ball out.
Diamond will have to contend with surging Reds third basemen Scott Rolen, who’s 7-for-18 with a homer and five RBIs since returning June 18 from a shoulder strain.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati will trot out righty Mike Leake (2-5, 4.70 ERA), who tossed a gem against Cleveland in his last outing (7 IP, 1 R) and hasn’t lost since May 11.
First pitch from Cincinnati is slated for 1:10 pm EDT.
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