• When: Today and Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.; Thursday, 12:35 p.m.

        • Where: Cinergy Field.

        • Radio: WLW-AM (700).

        • TV: Fox Sports Ohio, today and Wednesday.

        • Records: Cincinnati 17-19 (before Monday), fifth place Central Division; Arizona 19-18, tied for third place West Division.

        • Probable starting pitchers:

        Today, RHP Elmer Dessens (2-2, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Robert Ellis (3-1, 4.88)

        Wednesday, RHP Brian Reith (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Curt Schilling (5-1, 3.34)

        Thursday, Rob Bell (0-2, 3.79) vs. LH Brian Anderson (0-3, 7.36).

        • The bats: Powered by Luis Gonzalez, who leads the majors with 17 homers, the Diamondbacks rank third in the NL with 197 runs and 57 homers. Ex-Red Reggie Sanders (.297, 11 homers, 30 RBI) is having a solid season. Mark Grace's overall .270 average clashes with his showing against Cincinnati last week (5-for-13, three RBI).

        • The arms: Though the Reds won't have to face Randy Johnson, who struck out 20 of them last Tuesday, they'll still face the formidable Schilling, who has fanned 66 while walking just seven in 59 1/3 innings. Ellis, tonight's starter, received a no decision in last Wednesday's series finale but throttled the Reds on two runs and four hits in seven innings.

        • The rest: Cincinnati rapped 14 hits in its 5-4, 10-inning victory last Monday at Arizona, then went 8-for-69 (.116) as a team while losing the next two games. The Reds won two out of three in their only home series against Arizona last July 21-23.

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