Price confident in players' history with RISP

KANSAS CITY -- The Reds arrived at the quarter pole in the 2015 season, and manager Bryan Price remains optimistic that the clutch-hitting numbers will drastically improve with roughly 75 percent of the games still to be played.

Cincinnati went into Wednesday's game against the Royals hitting just .194 with runners in scoring position, which ranked last in the Majors. But Price looks at the relatively small sample size and doesn't see that trend continuing.

"We haven't been great in those environments to this point," Price said. "But we do have guys who have been very successful in those situations in the past."

Price wants his hitters to feel they have the advantage with runners in scoring position.

"It's understanding the pressure really is on the pitcher," Price said. "He is the one in trouble. I've always felt it's about getting a good pitch to hit, and that doesn't mean just a strike. It means a good strike. A lot of times, [hitters] can be so keyed up to get the job done. But sometimes, the job is to find a way on base for the next guy to do the job."

Worth noting

• Left-hander Sean Marshall had season-ending surgery on Wednesday to clean out his left shoulder. Dr. David Altchek performed the procedure.

• Barring excessive use of the bullpen in the next few days, Price said he anticipates right-hander Michael Lorenzen getting a start in the upcoming Colorado series. 

"The original plan was to start Lorenzen, and I don't see any reason why we would change that plan," Price said. "The only thing that would change it would be if we get in a situation where we need to pitch a lot out of the bullpen [before then]."