(Sports Network) - The battle of Ohio kicks off this evening at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, where the Reds will host the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians in the first of three straight interleague games.

Both teams have won three straight games and split six meetings last season, with the Reds going 2-1 as the host. Cleveland is 14-10 in this series since the start of the 2004 campaign.

The Indians have won eight of their last 10 games, including Thursday's 4-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics to complete a three-game sweep at Progressive Field. Indians starter Aaron Laffey allowed one unearned run and five hits over seven innings.

That unearned run, which came on Laffey's throwing error in the second inning, snapped a 44 1/3-consecutive shutout innings streak by Cleveland starters. It was the first run allowed by an Indians rotation member since the sixth inning of last Friday's game against Toronto. That also marked the longest streak by an Indians staff since the 1948 squad went 47 frames without giving up a run. Cleveland starters, though, haven't given up an earned run in their last 50 1/3 innings.

Masahide Kobayashi worked out of a jam in the ninth to get his second save, while Jhonny Peralta homered and scored three times for Cleveland, which has allowed just six runs in its last seven games. Ben Francisco had three hits and an RBI as the Tribe outscored the A's, 10-2, during the series.

Cleveland sits 1 1/2 games ahead of both Chicago and Minnesota in the Central standings, and will visit the Reds and White Sox on this road trip.

Jeremy Sowers gets the nod for the Tribe in Friday's series opener. Sowers made one spot start this season -- on April 26 versus the New York Yankees -- and gave up three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He received a no decision in the 4-3 Cleveland win. Sowers was then optioned to Triple-A Buffalo after the game.

Sowers, who was demoted to the minors last season after opening the year in Cleveland's rotation, was beaten out by Cliff Lee in Spring Training for the No. 5 spot in the Indians' rotation. He is 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA in seven starts with Buffalo this season.

The left-hander is 0-2 with a 9.60 ERA in three career starts against Cincinnati. He went 0-1 in two starts against the Reds in 2007.

Cincinnati swept the Florida Marlins in three games after Thursday's fourth installment of the series was postponed because of rain. A makeup date has not been set.

In Wednesday's 7-6 victory, Paul Janish made the most of his major league debut by sending the Reds to the win column with an RBI single in the 10th inning. Janish was recalled from Triple-A Louisville earlier in the day to take the roster spot of shortstop Jeff Keppinger, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken kneecap.

Jerry Hairston went 3-for-4 with a triple and double, while Adam Dunn homered and Brandon Phillips went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Reds starter Bronson Arroyo threw seven shutout innings, giving up only five hits and three walks with five strikeouts, but wound up with a no decision after relievers Mike Lincoln and Francisco Cordero combined to allow six runs.

Taking the ball for Cincinnati tonight will be rookie Johnny Cueto, who is 2-4 with a 5.91 ERA in eight starts this season. Cueto was a pinch-runner in the recent win over the Marlins.

Cueto has lost four of five decisions over a six-start span, and was rocked his last time out on Sunday against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. He allowed eight hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings of an 8-3 setback.

The young right-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball in his major league debut on April 3 versus Arizona, but has dropped off dramatically ever since. Cincinnati is 1-6 since his debut.

Cueto will face the Indians for the first time on Friday.

Cincinnati is 68-89 all-time in interleague play, while the Indians own a solid 102-91 mark against the Senior Circuit. Cleveland went 9-9 in interleague play last season and the Reds finished with a 7-11 record.

Reds future Hall of Fame center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. belted eight home runs in interleague play last season. He has 49 career homers since interleague play opened in 1997, second only to Jim Thome (53) of the Chicago White Sox.