The Cincinnati Reds wrap up their week at home when they welcome the Chicago Cubs to Great American Ball Park on Friday, September 18, for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch. Chase Burns gets the ball for Cincinnati against Cubs right-hander Clay Holmes in what shapes up as a marquee pitching matchup late in the regular season. With September baseball carrying real weight in the standings, this is exactly the kind of game the Reds need to take care of business in front of their home crowd. Catch the action on Reds.TV locally or WLW 700 on the radio.

Starting Pitchers: Chase Burns vs. Clay Holmes

Burns is the story on the Cincinnati side. The young right-hander has emerged as one of the most intriguing arms in the Reds rotation, and a late-September start at home against a division rival is a measuring-stick moment. The Reds will need him to eat innings and keep the Cubs offense off the board early.

Clay Holmes comes over from the Cubs side with a reputation as a ground-ball specialist. Holmes relies heavily on his sinker to generate weak contact and double-play opportunities, which means the Reds will need to put the barrel on the ball and avoid chasing pitches down in the zone. This is a pitcher who can suppress rallies quickly, so jumping on him early matters.

Cincinnati Reds Starting Lineup

• Carlos Jorge — CF
• Elly De La Cruz — SS
• Sal Stewart — 1B
• Tyler Stephenson — DH
• JJ Bleday — LF
• Eugenio Suárez — 3B
• Héctor Rodríguez — RF
• Jose Trevino — C
• Matt McLain — 2B

Keys to Watch

Elly De La Cruz Sets the Tone

Batting second and manning shortstop, De La Cruz is the engine of this offense. When he's on base, the entire complexion of an inning changes. Against a sinker-heavy pitcher like Holmes, De La Cruz's ability to work counts and use his elite speed on the bases could be the difference. If he gets on base early, expect the Reds to manufacture pressure before the Cubs can settle in.

Burns Limits the Big Inning

The Cubs are capable of stringing hits together and doing damage in clusters. Burns needs to avoid the crooked number inning — the kind of frame that puts the Reds in a hole they can't dig out of. If he keeps Chicago to one run at a time and works deep into the game, Cincinnati's offense should have enough opportunities against Holmes to get the job done.

Middle of the Order Must Produce

Sal Stewart at third in the order and Tyler Stephenson hitting cleanup represent the power core of this Cincinnati lineup. Holmes is the type of pitcher who can neutralize hitters who chase grounders, so Stewart and Stephenson need disciplined at-bats and a willingness to drive the ball when they get pitches to hit. A big two-out hit from either of them could be the play of the night.

Prediction

This one comes down to Burns. If he delivers a quality start and keeps the Cubs to two runs or fewer, the Reds lineup — with De La Cruz, Stewart, and Stephenson in the heart of the order — has enough firepower to win a close game at home. Great American Ball Park has been a factor all season, and a Friday night crowd should bring some energy. Reds win, 4-2.