The Cincinnati Reds have won their first game in eleven days as they pulled out a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants. The win breaks a six-game losing streak that spanned parts of two series against the Brewers and the first two games of this series with the Giants.
With the win, the Reds have a chance to even the series today at 12:35 p.m. Evening this series would be huge considering that the Reds have fallen a couple games out of the lead in the NL Central. Two of their top competitors in the NL Wild Card race are these Giants and the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks come to Cincinnati this weekend for a three-game set as the Reds look to turn this recent skid around.
The Reds have played this series incredibly close so far, and could easily be winners of three in a row.
The series opener lasted over 20 hours as the game was suspended due to weather on Monday night. The game was paused in the top of the eighth inning, tied 2-2, with the Giants having two men on base.
When the game resumed on Tuesday, Lucas Sims was able to work out of the jam and keep it tied at 2-2. In the bottom of the ninth, Elly de la Cruz led the inning off with a walk and a stolen base. With a man on second, no outs and one of the best bunters in the league at the plate in TJ Friedl, the Reds were in a good spot.
Then, Elly de la Cruz was picked off at second on an inside move from Giants reliever Tyler Rogers. This killed any momentum the Reds had. Ian Gibaut allowed two runs in the top of the 10th inning and the Reds lost 4-2.
The Reds came into game two having scored just 10 runs in their last six games combined. An offensive explosion ensued and Cincinnati put up 10 runs in what became an absolute slugfest. The Giants and Reds combined to hit six home runs in a game Cincinnati would drop 11-10.
Luke Weaver left the start early after taking a line drive off his left elbow. Derek Law, Buck Farmer and Tony Santillan each struggled mightily in a taxing day for the bullpen.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit his first major league home run and was one of four Reds to drive in multiple runs. Every Reds batter got a hit except for Nick Senzel who pinch-hit for Curt Casali in the eighth inning.
After losing the first two games, Cincinnati had to get back on the winning track. Will Benson put the team on his back and carried the Reds to victory. Benson’s three-run home run in the third inning was the entirety of the offense on Wednesday.
Graham Ashcraft turned in yet another excellent start and the bullpen did its job, holding the Giants to two runs. Ashcraft’s last three starts have each gone at least six innings allowing one run per game. He has stepped up significantly at a time when the Reds needed him most.
Next is the series finale today at 12:35 p.m. Alex Cobb will take on Andrew Abbott in a battle of pitchers with sub-3.00 ERAs. After the Giants, the Reds will play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona is currently 54-42 and up three games on Cincinnati in the Wild Card standings. The next four days could go a long way in determining Cincinnati’s postseason fate.
Stay tuned for more breaking MLB content, including trade deadline information, power rankings and more news from every team.
Featured image courtesy of Reds.com
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