After posting a 4-2 record over the first two legs of the road trip in Boston and Toronto, the red-hot Orioles will be looking to keep up the pace going into the last stop of their first road tour of 2017 in Cincinnati.

The Orioles (8-3) will be looking to come home in first place after taking three of four in Toronto, while the first-place Reds (8-5) will be trying to wash away a rough weekend after dropping three of four at home to the Brewers.

The Reds have been impressive over the beginning stages of the 2017 season. After finishing in the cellar of the NL Central in back-to-back seasons for the first time in almost ten years, they’ve engineered the NL’s second-best offense (62 runs) and third-best pitching staff (3.49 ERA) in the early stages of 2017, and the live odds at SportsBetting.ag reflect this.

Are they legit, or will they fade quickly?

Probables

Kevin Gausman (1-0, 3.94 ERA) will take the mound in the series opener against Bronson Arroyo (0-2, 9.90 ERA).

After shutting down the Blue Jays last week, Gausman will be looking for win #2 against a team he’s never faced before. Gausman is 2-5 with a 4.53 ERA over nine starts against the NL.

Arroyo is still kicking it at 40 years old, but his return to Cincinnati hasn’t gone quite as planned. Over his first two starts of the season, the part-time rock star has allowed a dreadful 11 runs on 13 hits over just ten innings of work…Maybe it’s finally time for the veteran to focus on his music career.

Ubaldo Jimenez (0-0, 10.38 ERA) will take on Reds rising star Amir Garrett (2-0, 1.42 ERA) on Wednesday.

Jimenez has been woeful through his first two starts of the campaign and has allowed ten runs on 15 hits over just eight and 2/3 innings. There’s nowhere to go but up though, right?

Garrett on the other hand, has been sensational over his first two big league starts. He’s allowed just two runs on seven hits over 12 2/3 innings while holding opponents to a .163 batting average and a 0.71 WHIP. The Reds #2 prospect seems to have arrived.

Wade Miley (1-0, 2.45 ERA) will take on Scott Feldman (1-1, 2.87 ERA) in the series finale on Thursday.

Miley has been a stud for the Orioles during the opening month of the season, having allowed just three runs on six hits over his first 11 innings of 2017 while racking up 13 K’s in the process. He’ll look to continue his impressive run of form, and maintain his perfect 3-0 career record and impressive 3.44 ERA at Great American Ball Park on Thursday.

Feldman has also gotten off to a nice start this season, having allowed just two runs on eight hits over his first 11 innings of work this year.

Notes

– J.J. Hardy will be looking forward to reuniting with old foe Arroyo on Tuesday. He boasts a stellar .300 average to go along with five home runs and seven RBI over 30 at-bats against the Reds veteran hurler. Adam Jones may be as well, as he homered against Arroyo the only time he ever faced him in back in 2011.

– Manny Machado will be licking his chops at the chance to face Feldman, as he owns a .455 average (5-for-11 with two homers and six RBI lifetime against the 34-year-old veteran. Jones (2-for-23) might not be as upbeat about it.

– Reds shortstop Zach Cozart has been leading the way for the home team with an NL-leading .432 batting average, five runs, two doubles, three triples, one homer, seven RBI and a .488 OBP… To say he’s the danger man would be an understatement.

– Jonathan Schoop carries a five-game hitting streak into Cincinnati. During that span, he’s went a robust 9-for-19 at the plate with three doubles, two homers and five RBI.

– Trey Mancini will also bring along a four-game hit streak with him to Cincy. The 24-year-old rookie has gone 7-for-14 at the dish during that stretch with four homers and eight RBI.

– Hardy seems to have found his stride and boasts a four-game hitting streak going into Tuesday. He’s 7-for-16 at the plate with two doubles, one homer and four RBI during that span.

– Two cold streaks to note: Machado (3-for-26) has seen a drop off in form over the past week, as has Mark Trumbo (4-for-25) over his last six games. Here’s to hoping for a fireworks show from these two in Cincy…They’re about due.

That’s it for now, Orioles fans! Enjoy the series!