The Cincinnati Reds recorded back-to-back shutouts in their past two games to help give the upstart club wins in three straight games and 11 of their past 17.
The Reds aim to continue their improvement in the National League Central on Saturday when they begin an abbreviated two-game interleague series against the visiting Cleveland Indians.
Cincinnati extended its scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings and improved to 5-2 on its nine-game homestand with a 1-0 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday.
“That’s the stat that counts,” Reds manager David Bell said. “The standings, we do watch them. You do follow, but, at the same time, you got to do a good job of staying in the moment. You can’t get ahead of yourself. Every day, it takes all you have. If we continue to take that approach, it will take care of itself.
“We have a long way to go, but we really like how our team is playing together and competing. It a fun group to be part of.”
Yasiel Puig continued his torrid hitting by plating Jesse Winker with a single in the first inning on Thursday, giving him 27 hits and 16 RBIs in his past 21 games. That stretch began with a 3-for-8 performance in a series split against the Indians on June 11-12.
Puig will get his first look at Cleveland right-hander Shane Bieber (7-3, 3.54 ERA), who will get the nod on Saturday looking to build off the momentum of a masterful performance in his last trip to the mound.
Bieber scattered three hits and struck out 11 over eight innings in a 2-0 win at Baltimore on Sunday.
The 24-year-old struggled in his lone career encounter with Cincinnati, allowing three runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 frames of a no-decision on Aug. 15, 2018.
Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (5-4, 4.35 ERA), who will provide the opposition on Saturday, improved to 3-1 in his past five starts after scattering five hits in six scoreless innings of an 8-6 win vs. the Chicago Cubs.
DeSclafani improved to 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in four career starts against the Indians after permitting one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-2 win on June 12.
The 29-year-old has flustered Jose Ramirez (0-for-8), although Tyler Naquin (3-for-6) and Carlos Santana (3-for-8, three doubles) have fared well vs. him in small sample sizes.
Ramirez, however, recorded his 10th career multi-homer performance and first in nearly one year to help Cleveland extend its winning streak to four games with an 8-4 victory on Thursday.
“It feels really good to do that and, most importantly, help my team win,” the 26-year-old Ramirez said through a translator. Ramirez is 12-for-36 with five extra-base hits and five RBIs in his past 10 games after being mired in an 11-for-66 slump.
“If he (could get going), that would be so welcome,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “After he hit the second (homer), you could hear the guys on the bench. I’m happy for him. It’s nice to see him smile. I know he’s been wearing it, but that would give us a huge lift.”
Santana carries an on-base streak of 27 games into the final series before the All-Star break, during which he’ll compete in the Home Run Derby on his home field in Cleveland. The 33-year-old Santana, who has 19 homers this season, went deep in both meetings with the Reds last month.