Three residence runs and a sterling bullpen outing led the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier than 21,083 at Nice American Ball Park.
Remaining
R
H
E
Arizona Diamondbacks (31-34)
2
5
0
Cincinnati Reds (33-33)
4
6
0
W: Rogers (2-2) L: Gallen (4-8) Sv: Santillan (2)
Statcast | Field Rating | Sport Thread
A lot of the 2025 season has been irritating for Redleg Nation. The Reds have proven flashes of promise, reminiscent of this weekend’s sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. However seemingly each time it feels as if this staff is about to chart a profitable course, the wheels fall off.
The comeback win was their second of this sequence, and considered one of a really slim quantity for this yr (see extra on this under). It’s a promising pattern. I’ve stated it since earlier than this season: Low-scoring video games like this are those this staff should win as a rule in the event that they hope to really compete. Thus far, the Reds are 6-10 in one-run video games, one of many poorest such data within the majors for the time being.
Matt McLain’s two-run seventh-inning homer broke a 2-2 tie and supplied the profitable margin, one other constructive signal. Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s three-game return from the injured checklist (7-for-12, three homers, six RBIs) was definitely attention-grabbing. I’ll be trustworthy with you guys. I’d just about written him off. He’s identified for unbelievable energy, however I’ve been ready to see him display his talent set on the main league degree. This weekend was the very best I’ve ever seen him, and I’ve jumped again on the CES bandwagon. The query now’s how he’ll reply when opposing pitchers and scouts have the prospect to interrupt down his strengths and weaknesses. Groups did that two years in the past, however that’s been a really very long time. I’m anxious to see if he can deal with third base defensively, as Barry Larkin hinted at in the course of the telecast. (That play he made on the foul-ball grounder made me gasp.) CES could be a giant offensive improve over Santiago Espinal, although I preserve that Espinal is the staff’s greatest defensive participant.
The win attracts Cincinnati again to .500, which now we have stated quite a few instances this yr. Every time, the pattern turns bitter and the Reds’ momentum disappears. It’s time for that to alter. An extended profitable streak could be nice, however a pattern of profitable sequence could be extra reasonable. The remainder of this month’s sequence are difficult: Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, St. Louis, New York Yankees and San Diego. They’re throughout .500, all in competition, and that is after we’ll be taught what this staff is really fabricated from.
Extra positivity: The Cubs and Brewers have already misplaced right this moment, and the Cardinals are down 7-3 within the eighth inning towards the Dodgers. If that end result holds, Cincinnati will acquire a recreation on all three groups forward of them within the Nationwide League Central standings. As this put up goes dwell, the fourth-place Reds are two video games behind Milwaukee, 4 video games behind second-place St. Louis, and seven 1/2 behind the Cubs.
The Offense
Cincinnati hitters’ mixed box-score line: 6-for-28 (.214), 3 walks drawn, 6 strikeouts, 0-for-2 with runners in scoring place.
Within the fourth inning, Encarnacion-Strand homered for the third recreation in a row after getting back from the injured checklist to place his staff on the board. His solo shot introduced Cincinnati inside 2-1 on the time. His common improved to .229 from the .150s throughout this sequence.
Within the fifth, leadoff hitter Jose Trevino hit a dangling breaking pitch into the left-field seats to tie the rating at 2-2.
An inning later, with one out, Elly De La Cruz fell behind 0-2 to Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen, however ended up drawing a stroll. Encarnacion-Strand adopted with a line single to left. Sadly, with Will Benson on the plate, De La Cruz fell asleep and was picked off second by Gallen. Benson then grounded out to finish the inning.
With Gallen nonetheless pitching within the backside of the seventh, Jake Fraley lined a two-out single to proper, and Matt McLain adopted with a no-doubt two-run bomb to left to offer the Reds the lead, 4-2, which turned out to be the profitable margin.
The Pitching
The field rating line: 9 innings, 5 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts and a pair of runs. The bullpen pitched the ultimate 4 innings with out permitting a baserunner.
Starter Brady Singer allowed a solo residence run to Eugenio Suarez, his a hundred and first profession bomb at Nice American Ball Park, within the second inning for a 1-0 Arizona lead. Then within the third, an RBI single by Corbin Carroll put the guests up 2-0.
Within the fifth, the inning after having a line drive strike his pitching arm’s triceps, Singer walked two of the primary three batters he confronted. However a double-play grounder off the bat of Geraldo Perdomo to Matt McLain went 4-6-3 to finish the inning.
With the Reds having tied the rating at 2-2 within the earlier half-inning, Supervisor Terry Francona summoned Scott Barlow to pitch the highest of the sixth. With a 1-2 rely to the inning’s leadoff hitter Josh Naylor, rainfall hit immediately and the sport was delayed for 31 minutes. Barlow stayed in after the delay, retired Naylor, struck out Suarez swinging and retired Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on a fly ball to middle.
Taylor Rogers pitched the seventh, retiring the decrease third of the Arizona batting order 1-2-3. He returned within the eighth, after McLain’s go-ahead homer. and duplicated the feat towards the highest three D-backs batters. He was a deserving profitable pitcher.
Tony Santillan received the decision within the ninth inning, retiring the Diamondbacks so as rapidly to earn his sixth profession save.
One Fan’s Ideas
It’s not precisely breaking information that the Reds have had bother coming from behind this season. Right here’s one of many massive the reason why:
Earlier than right this moment’s recreation, the staff batting statistics when trailing in a recreation: .221 / .290 / .370 / .660.
Examine that to when they’re tied: .229 / .304 / .394 / .698.
And when they’re forward: .273 / .354 / .416 / .770.
The “when forward” numbers are convincingly higher than the opposite two varieties. Similar gamers, completely different conditions. So the query is why? What do you assume?
In right this moment’s recreation, the numbers had been:
Tied: 3-for-13, together with the McLain two-run homer; Behind: 3-for-11 with the 2 solo homers; Forward: 0-for-4.
Up Subsequent for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds at Cleveland Guardians
Monday, June 9, 6:40 p.m. ET
Wade Miley (0-0, 18.00 ERA) vs. L.L. Ortiz (3-6, 4.02 ERA)
