Cubs vs Reds live stream: Watch online free Monday 7:10 ET for the start of a three-game set in Cincinnati between National League Central rivals.

This hopes to be a series for both teams to turn around seasons below .500. The Chicago Cubs (8-16) will be on the hill with their best pitcher vs the Reds on the road, who will be throwing out one of their top pitchers this season. Watch the free live stream online to see who takes the first game.

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Alfredo Simon (3-1, 1.30 ERA) has given Cincinnati a huge lift, surrendering two runs or fewer in each of his first four outings while holding opponents to a .172 average. The right-hander is looking to win a third consecutive start after allowing two runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings in Wednesday's 5-2 victory at Pittsburgh, according to ESPN.com.

"He's been terrific," manager Bryan Price said. "He's been an extremely versatile pitcher for us the last two-plus seasons. He's always been a talented guy, but he's really found himself and made himself into a very good-looking starting pitcher."

Jeff Samardzija (0-2, 1.53), who has yet to yield more than two earned runs this season, has struck out 27 and walked just nine over five starts spanning 35 1/3 innings while receiving a combined nine runs of support. Samardzija was in line for the victory before the Cubs allowed five runs in the ninth inning in Wednesday's 7-5 loss to Arizona. He gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings.

"I'm going out and doing my job. As a starting pitcher, you know when you're pitching every fifth day and you come out -- you have to have a short memory," Samardzija told MLB's official website. "You start carrying over start to start, that's when it starts to snowball on you. You keep doing your work and competing for the team and hope for the best."

Samardzija has received an average of 2.60 runs of support during an 11-start winless stretch dating to last year.

"He's doing what he's supposed to do," catcher Welington Castillo said. "He's giving us a chance. We just have to score a couple runs for him. I think he's been throwing the ball really good. ... He wants to compete, he wants to win. He wants the ball in every situation."