There is no hotter team in Major League Baseball right now than the Cincinnati Reds. Their winning streak was snapped at seven games on Sunday as the Chicago Cubs avoided the sweep with a 4-2 victory. However, the Reds have still won 12 of their last 16 games and have gotten themselves right back into the thick of the National League playoff picture. At 32-34 overall, they sit six and a half games out of first place in the Central. As for the Wild Card, the Reds are tied with the Giants, Cubs, and Cardinals for the third and final playoff spot.
Monday will mark the first of two off days this week for Cincinnati. On Tuesday, the first two games of the Ohio Cup begin with a 7:10 p.m. Eastern Time first pitch at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati’s starter has yet to be announced. Then, on Wednesday, Nick Lodolo will take the mound at 7:10 p.m. Eastern Time once again. After another scheduled off day on Thursday, the Reds will hit the road. The first stop is a three game weekend series in Milwaukee. Cincinnati will then head to Pittsburg for three games against the Pirates. It’ll be a big six-game stretch within the National League Central.
Elly De La Cruz, Hunter Greene Lead Reds to Series Opening Win
The future is bright for the Cincinnati Reds. It was 24-year old Hunter Greene and 22-year old Elly De La Cruz who helped produce Thursday night’s series-opening win at Great American Ball Park. In fact, it was the one year anniversary of De La Cruz’s MLB debut. To celebrate, he smashed a three-run home run in the third inning. However, despite the 8-4 final score, it didn’t always come easy in this one.
Chicago struck first with a two-run home run off the bat of Seiya Suzuki in the top of the third. De La Cruz made it 3-2 Reds in the bottom half of the frame, but Christopher Morel answered with a two-run shot in the sixth giving the Cubs a 4-3 advantage. Similar to the third inning though, Cincinnati had a quick answer. Jonathan India tied the game with a RBI single to left field as Tyler Stephenson moved around to third base on the hit. Then, TJ Friedl doubled to bring in Stephenson and make it 5-4.
In the seventh, the Reds would tack on some insurance runs to secure the victory. India walked with the bases loaded and then Will Benson doubled to bring in two more runs to set the eventual final score of 8-4. On the mound, Hunter Greene battled his way through six and two-thirds innings to earn the win. He allowed four runs on five hits while striking out seven batters. Greene is now 4-2 on the season with a 3.61 earned run average. Thursday’s outing marked five consecutive starts of at least six innings. His continued improvement with pitch efficiency has allowed him to develop into a legitimate top of the rotation arm this season.
Lodolo Out-Duels Steele in a Battle of Left-Handed Pitchers
Nick Lodolo is looking like a potential ace for the Cincinnati Reds. He turned in yet another dazzling performance on Friday night to help defeat the Chicago Cubs 3-2. The 26-year old left-handed out-dueled Justin Steele to move to 6-2 on the season with a 2.92 earned run average. Lodolo went six innings allowing just one run on four hits while striking out seven batters. It was his third straight win on the mound as the Reds ran their club winning streak to six games.
While Lodolo, Nick Martinez, Justin Wilson, and Alexis Díaz handled things on the mound, Cincinnati benefited from a couple of timely hits in the middle innings at the plate. Tyler Stephenson got them on the board first with a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning. Then, in the fifth, Stuart Fairchild came through with a RBI single. That 3-0 lead would prove to be just enough as Diaz battled through the ninth inning to shut the door for his 13 save of the season. Cincinnati’s winning streak remained intact with the 3-2 victory.
Reds Win Seventh Straight, 11th in Their Last 14th Games
When you are hot you are hot. The Cincinnati Reds fought their way to a 4-3 victory on Saturday evening to clinch the series win over the Chicago Cubs and extend their MLB best winning streak to seven games. They were able to win despite collecting just six hits and some erratic location from starter Andrew Abbott. The left-hander walked four batters and allowed five hits, but was able to scratch and claw his way through five innings allowing just one run. Abbott is now an even 5-5 on the season with a 3.28 earned run average. Cincinnati’s bullpen was solid once again as well with Justin Wilson ultimately earning his first save of the season.
Despite being out-hit 10 to six by the Cubs, Cincinnati used a pair of home runs to power their way to victory. Jeimer Candelario connected on one in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1. Then, in the third inning, TJ Friedl sent one into the right field seats which put the Reds on top at 3-1. Friedl would go on to produce a RBI ground out in the fifth to extend the Cincinnati advantage to 4-1. That added insurance run would prove to be the difference as the Cubs scored in the sixth and eighth innings, but came up short 4-3.
Ian Happ Helps Avoid Sweep
It has been said several times in KSReds recaps, but there should be a parade in Cincinnati whenever Ian Happ retires. He was a major thorn in the side of the Cincinnati Reds again on Sunday afternoon as his bases clearing double down the right field line in the first inning would be all the Chicago Cubs needed to avoid the sweep. They would add another run in the second and chased starter Frankie Montas from the game after just four outs. He allowed four runs on five hits while walking three batters in just one and one-third innings.
It was a tough outing for Montas, but Carson Spiers was absolutely excellent in long relief for Cincinnati. He turned in five and two-thirds shutout innings while striking out seven to give the Reds a chance to win. However, there just wasn’t enough happening at the plate to climb out of the early 4-0 deficit.
Luke Maile connected on his second home run of the season in bottom of the third inning to make it 4-1. Then, the Reds showed a little life in the seventh. Santiago Espinal singled to left field to score Spencer Steer and advance Jonathan India to third base. However, Espinal was thrown out trying to extend to second base in a play that wasn’t even close. The poor base running decision cut the Reds rally short before it really got started and they would go on to lose 4-2.
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