The Cincinnati Reds will be hosted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2013 N.L. Wild Card Game. If you can't watch the game, check out the live radio stream available online, for free, as ESPN brings you the live broadcast.
Tonight's matchup figures to be all about pitching. However, an unlikely Red could make a huge impact in this game as Johnny Cueto takes the mound. The Reds' righty has faced Francisco Liriano before and finished on top. The Pirates have had a long time figuring out Cueto and they have not faced him since late May. Back then, before a brief trip to the disabled list, Cueto went eight scoreless innings, collecting six strikeouts while walking one batter and surrendering only one hit.
Cueto only pitched 11 games in 2013 after missing the entire months of July and August. He came back for two starts in September and surrendered one earned run over 12 innings pitched. Cueto is the spirit and life of the Reds' pitching staff and today, though missing half the season, Cueto can get the Reds further into the postseason.
When it comes to pitching, the Reds and Pirates are almost identical. The Pirates finished third in baseball with a 3.26 ERA, while the Reds were right behind them with a 3.38 ERA. The Red pitching staff threw 1,473, third most in baseball, while the Pirates pitched 1,470.2 innings. The Reds were sixth in baseball, collecting 1,296 strikeouts, while the Pirates finished ninth with 1,261 strikeouts in the season.
As good as Cueto was over his 11 starts this year that saw him conclude the season with a 5-2 record and 2.82 ERA, the Pirates' ace, Liriano has numbers to match Cueto's production. Liriano went 16-8 in 2013 with a 3.02 ERA. He has had his share of troubles against the Reds, having gone 0-3 against them in 2013, but he has surrendered no more than two earned runs in three of his four starts against the Pirates' division rival.
Brace yourselves, if these pitchers are on target, pitchers will have a hard time scoring runs.
Click here for Pirates vs. Reds radio stream, free online beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET
