Padres-Reds Preview

A depleted outfield has the Cincinnati Reds searching for players to fill the void. Help, though, isn't expected to arrive in time to try and avoid another poor effort against the San Diego Padres.

After making a trade with hopes of giving their slumping lineup a boost, the Reds look to finally solve Padres pitching as the teams conclude a four-game series Thursday.

Cincinnati (45-55) has been in a midseason meltdown, losing 14 of its last 18 to fall a season-worst 10 games under .500. The Reds have scored three runs or fewer in six of their last eight contests, including a 7-1 loss to the Padres (40-62) on Wednesday night.

San Diego has also won five of its last six against Cincinnati this season, posting a 2.55 ERA and a .146 opponents' batting average during that span.

"Our offense is not such that we can come right back and score a lot of runs," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "It's embarrassing. It's pitiful to watch. It's terrible. We've got to get after them. They're taking it to us right now. They're not a good club, and they're beating us, so what does that make us?"

In need of an outfielder with Jay Bruce (wrist) and Chris Dickerson (shoulder) on the disabled list, the Reds sent reliever Robert Manuel to Seattle in exchange for Wladimir Balentien prior to Wednesday's game.

The 25-year-old Balentien struggled as Seattle's left fielder following a season-ending injury to Endy Chavez, hitting .213 with 13 RBIs in 56 games, and was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Sunday. Cincinnati hopes a change of scenery will help, but Balentien isn't expected to join the team until the start of a series against Colorado on Friday.

In the meantime, the Reds will try to beat a Padres club that has a chance to win three straight for the first time since a 10-game run from May 15-25. San Diego got a strong performance at the plate to win consecutive games for the first time since June 27-28.

Adrian Gonzalez had a two-run shot -- his third homer in three games -- for San Diego. The first baseman is two homers shy of becoming the first Padre to have three 30-homer seasons.

Gonzalez is hitting .360 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 12 games at Cincinnati. He has one hit in his only two at-bats against Reds scheduled starter Johnny Cueto (8-7, 3.78 ERA).

Cueto is 0-3 with a 10.19 ERA in his last four starts. The right-hander gave up four runs and nine hits in six innings of Cincinnati's 5-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

In his only career start against the Padres, Cueto allowed three runs and four hits while striking out 10 in six innings before the Reds won 4-3 in 11 innings.

San Diego will counter with Tim Stauffer (0-2, 3.21), who threw 17 pitches in the first inning against Washington on Saturday night before a rain delay lasting more than three hours forced him from the game. The right-hander yielded two runs and three hits and the Padres ended up losing 13-1.

Stauffer is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two appearances, one start, versus the Reds.