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Giants strengthen pitching staff with trade
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CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds shipped starter Mike Leake to the San Francisco Giants for a pair of prospects on Thursday night, bolstering the defending World Series champions for another playoff run.

San Francisco needed one more solid starter, and got a young pitcher who has been at his best in July. The 27-year-old Leake has won his last four starts, allowing only two earned runs in 30 innings overall.

He threw eight innings of four-hit ball in a 4-0 win in St. Louis on Tuesday, completing his sensational month. Overall, Leake is 9-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 21 starts this season.

The Reds got infielder Adam Duvall and right-hander Keury Mella for Leake, who can become a free agent after the season.

The deal came six days after Cincinnati dealt ace Johnny Cueto to Kansas City for three minor league pitchers. The Giants wound up getting Cincinnati’s second-best starter.

The 26-year-old Duvall grew up in Louisville and was taken in the 11th round of the June 2010 draft. He batted .279 with 25 doubles, 26 homers and 79 RBIs in 99 games for Triple-A Sacramento.

Mella, 21, was signed as a non-drafted free agent in September 2011. He went 5-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts for Class A San Jose this season. He also was on the World team’s roster for the All-Star Futures Game in Cincinnati earlier in July.