Burns, Reds look to take series from Royals

Chase Burns hopes to put his health issues behind him when he and the Cincinnati Reds host the Kansas City Royals tonight in the finale of a three-game series.

Right-hander Burns (7-1, 1.96 ERA) was scratched from his scheduled Monday night start because of an illness, forcing Reds manager Terry Francona into a juggling act with regard to his pitching rotation.

After righty Lyon Richardson started a bullpen game and took the loss in the Reds’ 9-2 defeat on Monday, Cincinnati lefty Andrew Abbott allowed three runs on five hits in six innings of Tuesday’s 4-3, 10-inning come-from-behind victory, setting the stage for tonight’s rubber game.

Cincinnati trailed 3-1 going into the eighth inning on Tuesday, but Spencer Steer’s second home run of the game leading off the eighth and Will Benson’s pinch-hit home run leading off the ninth tied it at 3. Blake Dunn’s game- winning walk-off RBI single in the 10th scored Steer as the automatic runner.

What did Benson’s heroics mean to Francona?

“It means we won,” the manager said after the game. “It’s what we set out to do. Because you’re right, it was a pretty quiet night. You know, if it wasn’t for Steer for a while there, we had nothing. Their guy (Royals starter Noah Cameron) was just kinda carving us up. Will with a huge hit, so we get to keep playing and we’re home. The advantage, once you tie, it goes to us.”

The comeback spoiled a strong performance by left-hander Cameron, who did not walk a batter and struck out eight while allowing Steer’s first homer as the Reds’ lone hit in seven innings.

Burns, the Reds’ 23-year-old ace who is enjoying a breakout spring in only his second major league season, has made 11 appearances (all starts) this season. In 64 1/3 innings, Burns has allowed 14 runs (all earned) on 42 hits, including eight homers. He has struck out 72 and walked 20.

Burns’ most recent outing was a 7-2 road victory over the New York Mets on May 26, when he allowed two runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two. This will be the first time Burns has faced the Royals.

The Royals’ scheduled starter tonight is Stephen Kolek (3-1, 3.48).

Kolek is coming off a loss Friday to the host Texas Rangers, when he allowed six runs (four earned) and six hits in five innings.

He had not allowed a run during 15 1/3 innings in his previous two starts, including a complete-game four-hit shutout win May 23 against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Kolek has opposed the Reds once in his career. That came last season when he was with the San Diego Padres on June 29. He got a no-decision, giving up a run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 3-2 loss.