[Stardust]

The Cincinnati Reds’ tentative 2011 schedule has been released by Major League Baseball.

The 2011 campaign will begin with Opening Day on Thursday, March 31 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park. The Reds will wrap up their series with the Brewers on Saturday and Sunday, April 2-3, followed by 3 games against the Houston Astros to finish up the season’s first homestand.

Major League Baseball adopted the recommendation of The Commissioner’s Special Committee for On-Field Matters to begin the regular season earlier and mid-week to avoid playing World Series games in November.

Other featured matchups at Great American Ball Park in 2011 include a pair of weekend series against the National League Central Division rival St. Louis Cardinals (May 13-15, July 15-17), plus weekend battles with the Atlanta Braves (July 22-24) and San Francisco Giants (July 29-Aug. 1).

Highlighting the Reds’ interleague schedule is a home series against the New York Yankees from June 20-22, New York’s first trip to Cincinnati since 2003.

Additional Interleague action at Great American Ball Park will include the Ohio Cup Series presented by the Ohio Lottery against the Cleveland Indians (July 1-3) and a 3-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays (June 17-19).

The full schedule can be found on online at reds.com.http://news.cincinnati.com/