MLB

• Pirates to face tough test from Cueto, Reds

  (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Pirates scored more runs in one inning of Tuesday's victory over the Cincinnati Reds then they had in their previous five games. They'll likely find offense harder to come by this afternoon, given Johnny Cueto's domination of them over his young career.

  Cueto aims for a seventh straight winning decision over Pittsburgh and a series victory for his Cincinnati team in today's finale of a three-game set at PNC Park.

  The 24-year-old Cueto is 8-2 with a 3.00 earned run average in 11 career starts versus the Pirates, winning six decisions over seven starts since losing to them on April 11 of last season. He is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts against them this year, allowing just three runs with 21 strikeouts over 20 innings.

  Cueto had been 4-0 with a 0.88 ERA in his last six starts overall prior to a rough outing versus Atlanta on Friday. He yielded four runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings, getting a no-decision in his club's 6-4 loss.

  The righty hasn't lost since June 18 and is 10-2 with a 3.32 ERA on the season.

  Pittsburgh's Garrett Jones is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts versus Cueto this year, while Andrew McCutchen is just 1-for-8 against him. McCutchen, though, is unlikely to be in the lineup today after suffering a neck contusion when he was hit by a pitch from the Reds' Mike Leake in last night's 7-6 Pittsburgh win.

  McCutchen's injury came during a six-run second inning by the Pirates, who had plated just five runs total over a five-game losing streak that came to a halt. Neil Walker capped the big frame with a three-run double and ended with three hits and a career-high four runs batted in.

  "The runs were big. Neil's double off the wall with the bases loaded was a huge hit for us," said Pirates manager John Russell. "We tried to let them back in a little bit, but we finished it off. It was a solid win for us." Paul Maholm got the win with six-plus innings of four-run ball, while Joel Hanrahan notched his first save since May 24, 2009, while then with Washington.

  Leake yielded seven runs -- six earned -- on seven hits over five innings to take the loss and was also hit by a pitch by Maholm, prompting a warning to both benches.

  Brandon Phillips had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in a pair of runs for the Reds, who had won three straight and five of six coming in but were still able to maintain their half-game edge over St. Louis for first place in the National League Central.

  Cincinnati placed shortstop Orlando Cabrera on the disabled list before the game due to a left oblique strain suffered on Monday, while first baseman Joey Votto did not start for a second straight game because of a right wrist sprain. He did pinch-hit in the eighth inning and should start today.

  "Joey's feeling better, feeling a lot better," Reds manager Dusty Baker told his team's website. "Had it been down the stretch in September, he probably would have played. But the experience of having hand problems, another day would help him, and then he'll play [Wednesday] and then he'll be off on Thursday, which will help him for the weekend." Votto, who is hitting .322 with 27 homers and 72 RBI this year, is 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI lifetime versus Pirates starter Jeff Karstens, who hasn't won since June 19 and is 0-4 with a 4.02 ERA in seven starts since that victory.

  Karstens, though, has allowed two runs or fewer in four of those outings and got a no-decision on Friday despite six scoreless innings versus the Cardinals. He also didn't walk a batter and worked around seven hits in his club's 1-0 loss.

  The 27-year-old righty is 2-6 with a 4.42 ERA on the season and 0-3 with a 6.45 ERA in six career games against the Reds, three of those starts.

  Cincinnati has won seven of 12 versus Pittsburgh this year, with the teams splitting eight games at PNC Park.

  08/04 10:43:55 ET