White Sox face Reds, look for third straight victory

After picking up a rare victory away from home, the Chicago White Sox will look to win a third straight game for the first time this season when they visit the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.

Chicago improved to 4-17 on the road with a 5-1 triumph over the Reds in 10 innings on Tuesday. The second game of the series will give the White Sox an opportunity for their second straight series win despite a lackluster start to the 2025 campaign.

After Chase Meidroth's RBI single in the 10th gave the White Sox a 2-1 lead, Miguel Vargas' three-run home run broke the game open and propelled the team to its first consecutive wins in two weeks.

"Every game and every win means a lot to us," Vargas said. "As a group, we played such a good baseball game (Tuesday), and the result came with it. We're just trying to have a good approach up there, just trying to put the ball in play. Hopefully, it will continue to be like that for the rest of the season."

Right-hander Davis Martin (1-4, 4.01 ERA) will start for Chicago on Wednesday, aiming for just his second big league win since 2022. Martin allowed four earned runs across 4 1/3 innings in a 10-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. Making the 27th start of his career, Martin will face the Reds for the first time.

The Reds began the season 18-15 but since have dropped eight of 10 games. Another setback against the American League-worst White Sox would be nearly rock bottom for a Cincinnati team that is aiming to pull itself out of a tailspin.

"When it's not the easiest to believe, I think you have to," Reds manager Terry Francona said.

The Reds have scored one run or less in six of their last 10 games. Despite Cincinnati's .236 batting average for the season -- which ranks 11th in the National League -- the team is tied for ninth in the majors with the Seattle Mariners with 199 runs.

Hoping to help right the ship, Nick Lodolo (3-3, 3.23 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season for Cincinnati on Wednesday and will look to build off a quality start the last time out.

Lodolo allowed just two earned runs in a six-inning no-decision against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. The Reds lost 5-4 in 11 innings. The left-hander has faced the White Sox twice in his career, allowing three earned runs across 9 1/3 innings.

A Chicago victory on Wednesday would mark the first time the team has won back-to-back games at Great American Ball Park since June 20-21, 2009.

--Field Level Media