Reds Streak To Second Win On Andrew Abbott's All-Star Like

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Andrew Abbott turned in his all-star like performance for the third game in a row and procured a winning series over the Houston Astros, 5-0.

He allowed three harmless singles in six innings, walked just one and struck out five. 

"He looked Abbottesque. He spun it pretty good. He located way more fastballs," Francona said. "He got comfortable and we got him a couple runs and he made it stand."

Yordan Alvarez was a strikeout victim three times. 

You're not going to see hat very often," Francona said. "That kid is some kind of hitter. You kind of marvel. He doesn't strike out very much. He got him with the same pitch. You're not going to see that very much."

Abbott has allowed two runs in his last 17 2/3 innings.

"I feel like I'm getting there. You never want to be complacent. I have a few things to iron out," Abbott said. "Today was a good step. When I struggled, I couldn't land my off speed stuff which made me a one dimensional pitcher. Today was one of the first days I could get stuff in the zone and then go out of the zone with it. He (Alvarez) is a great hitter and I don't want to make a mistake to him but I'm going to play to my strengths. For me it was getting ahead and then make him chase my pitch."

The Reds took advantage of Houston starter, Kai-Wei Teng. The Astros hurler longest outing was three innings. He shut the Reds down for three innings but they broke through in the fourth.

Elly De La Cruz opened the inning with one of his three hits a line single to left center. Sal Stewart doubled with De La Cruz stopping at third. JJ Bleday crashed a line drive past Christian Walker at first base and down the right field line. By the time Cam Smith was able to dig it out of the corner, Bleday was on his way to third. Tyler Stephenson singled to score Bleday. Matt McLain walked and Ke'Bryan Hayes singled to load the bases. Will Benson forced Stephenson at the plate. Spencer Steer hit a long fly ball to the base of the center field wall but Brice Matthews caught it for the final out.

"Bleday went to Triple A, and did very well, got hot and picked up where he left off. Which doesn't always happen, as we've seen," Francona said. "He's a really good fastball hitter. He got a 3-0 breaking ball and stayed through it enough to keep it fair. He's very dangerous and can handle some lefties. He's given us a big lift. We've kind of had him all over the lineup."

De La Cruz led off the fifth inning with a single against AJ Blabaugh. Bleday, who reached base three times, walked. With Blake Dunn batting. De La Cruz and Bleday stole a base on successive pitches, Dunn walked to load the bases and McLain walked to force in the Reds' fourth run.

"It was awesome. Yesterday, I feel like I had good at bats but couldn't make anything happen with the bases loaded," Bleday said. "Today I wanted to be aggressive and put some runs on the board for those guys. I think you have to keep your foot on the gas pedal in those situations (3-0 count). You're thinking you're going to be getting something in the zone. You might as well take advantage of it if you're feeling it. If it's not in window, don't swing."

Steer homered for the seventh time this season off Cody Bolton.

"The one to center was such a good swing. It would have really stretched the game out," Francona said. "Because he stayed on that ball, they throw one in and he keeps it fair."

TeJay Antone, Sam Moll and Graham Ashcraft pitched clean innings to seal the shutout.

Andrew Abbott Tries To Create Momentum For Reds Against Astros

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Andrew Abbott will face the Houston Astros trying to capture the third and deciding game of this three-game series.

Abbott is 1-2 with a 5.13 ERA in his eight starts, the last two were good ones. He earned his first win against the Colorado Rockies with six innings of six-hit, two run baseball. He worked 5 2/3 innings in his last start against the Chicago Cubs on May 5 with no runs on four hits, four walks and four strikeouts. The Reds lost 3-2 in 10 innings.

Abbott made one start against the Astros in his career. He was the winner in a 2-1 win on June 16, 2023. He pitched six scoreless innings on four hits and two walks.

His mound opponent is Kai-Wei Teng who is 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 14 appearances with one start. It is expected to be a bullpen day for Houston. Teng, 27, came to the Astros in a trade with the San Francisco Giants on January 30, 2026 for a minor leaguer, Jancel Villarreol. 

His last start was against the Baltimore Orioles on April 28. He pitched three innings, allowing two runs on five hits, no walks.

Teng has never faced the Reds.

The Reds lineup:

Will Benson RF

Spencer Steer 1B

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart DH

JJ Bleday LF

Tyler Stephenson C

Blake Dunn CF

Matt McLain 2B

Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B

Houston's lineup:

Jose Altuve 2B

Yordan Alvarez DH

Isaac Paredes 3B

Christian Walker 1B

Cam Smith RF

Brice Matthews CF

Zach Cole LF

Nick Allen SS

Cesar Salazar C

Rhett Lowder Will Go On IL

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Reds are going to place right hander Rhett Lowder in the 15-day disabled list.

Reds manager Terry Francona informed the media before the official announcement is made.

“We're trying not to put a band aid on something. We want this kid to pitch and pitch for a long time and not get interrupted. Hopefully, a couple weeks down will do him some good,” Francona said. “He will continue throwing just not off the mound, just yet.”

Lowder is coming off a year of injury with shoulder and oblique strains. His last two games have been abbreviated outings of 1 1/3 innings and three innings in his last start on Thursday.

The Reds used Chase Petty on Monday against the Cubs and they used starter, Jose Franco to eat innings out of the bullpen. 

Both will pitch on Sunday (051026) for the Louisville Bats against Nashville. Franco will pitch two innings. 

"We want to stretch him out but not all at once," Francona said.

Chase Burns Chases The Reds Blues The Fever Breaks

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Dateline: Cincinnati

It was take two in Chase Burns effort to chase the blues from an eight game losing streak. For his second straight outing he held opponent off the scoreboard to defeat the Houston Astros, 3-1.

Burns pitched six innings to give the Reds a chance to end its eight game losing streak. Burns allowed a run on four hits and three walks. He struck out two.

Burns had thrown 12 straight scoreless innings until Brenden Shewmake hit his third home run of the season with two outs in the fifth inning.

The flip side was the Reds didn't support him with any runs over the last 11 of those. His last outing went for naught although he turned in seven scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirate which would have top the streak at two games.

"He was really good and I was wanting to send him back out," Terry Francona said. "I talked to Chase and he was feeling it. I think we'd have been reaching a little bit."

Reds' hitters were having trouble solving Astros' starter Spencer Arrighetti. He throttled the Reds on one hit and two walks.

The Reds used gifts from the Astros outfield to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth. 

"It's a good feeling. It's a really good feeling," Francona said. "I'm happy for the guys. It's been a tough week. They're working. They're competing. It's not always been as good as we want. They're not quitting, so we're not going to quit on them."

Spencer Steer singled with one out. He stole second while Will Benson walked. Jose Trevino hit a fly ball to right that Cam Smith flat out dropped to load the bases. Matt McLain singled to score Steer and Benson. The runners advanced on left fielder Zach Cole's throwing error to the plate. TJ Friedl walked. JJ Bleday flied out to shallow right. Elly De La Cruz singled in a run but McLain was thrown out at home by Cole.

Brock Burke and Graham Ashcraft got back in the saddle after falling off their horse the last time out with the game on the line.

Ashcraft gave up a two-run, game-tying home run to Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs on Wednesday night. Burke walked in the losing run in the 10th inning, pitching to Michael Busch.

This time Burke pitched a quick inning against Houston in relief of Burns and Ashcraft followed with a scoreless inning to hand the ball over to Pierce Johnson, who earned his first save of the season in place of his best friend on the team, Emilio Pagan, who strained his hamstring in Tuesday night's 10-inning loss in Chicago.

"It was an adrenaline rush. I can tell you that," Johnson said. "Our bullpen as whole we trust the ball going to anybody. Burns going out there and giving us six innings was fantastic."

The losing streak was bad enough but there have been injuries, including the serious one to Pagan. There have been family losses. Both Johnson and Ashcraft lost grandfathers in the same week.

"The year is a roller coaster," Johnson said of the injuries and losses. "You'll have highs and you're going to have lows. We started the year off hot and had road trips where we won a lot of games. We came home and we split, then you go on the road and have a rough one. That's going to happen. It's a long season. This group of guys is elite. It's one of the best groups, I've ever been a part of."

"It was a huge loss, losing him (Pagan). Not for on the field but off the field too. It is a leadership role that is really, really tough to fill. We'll hold that position down until he gets back," Johnson said.

The personal losses made it even tougher.

"That is tough. It is life, sadly. We talked a little bit about it in the last couple days," Johnson said. "It is hard to lose family members, you're really close to. We are here for each other."

One More Time Chase Burns Called To Stop The Bleeding

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Chase Burns did all he could in his last start in Pittsburgh last Sunday. He pitched into the eighth inning, giving the Pirates nothing but three hits and a walk.

The Reds couldn't take advantage and were swept in the series. Five losses later the Reds call on their budding ace to stop the streak at eight.

The 23-year old has been solid since a hiccup against the Los Angeles Angels on April 10. In his four starts since, he has pitched 14 2/3 innings and allowed just four runs.

He will be facing the Houston Astros for the first time.

The Astros send Spencer Arrighetti against the Reds. He is 26-years old. The Astros sixth round selection in the 2021 draft out of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Arrighetti is 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA over four starts. He pitched seven innings in his last start against the New York Yankees on April 26. He allowed one run on three hits and a walk. He struck out eight. 

Arrighetti was 7-13 with a 4.53 ERA in 28 starts in 2024. He had 171 strikeouts and 65 walks in 145 innings. He suffered a broken thumb and had elbow issues that limited him to 10 starts, seven in the big leagues in 2025. He started this season at Triple A Sugar Land and recalled by the Astros on April 15.

He started against the Reds on September 4, 2024 at Great American Ball Park. Arrighetti gave up a leadoff home run to Jonathan India and was charged with nine runs, three earned on five hits, including two hits by Elly De La Cruz in 2/3 an inning in the Reds 12-5 win.

The Reds lineup:

TJ Friedl CF

JJ Bleday LF

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart 3B

Nathaniel Lowe DH

Spencer Steer 1B

Will Benson RF

Jose Trevino C

Matt McLain 2B 

Steer had his 10-game hitting streak snapped on Friday night.

The Astros Lineup:

Jose Altuve 2B

Yordan Alvarez DH

Isaac Paredes 3B

Christian Walker 1B

Cam Smith RF

Zach Cole LF

Brice Matthews CF

Brendan Shewmake SS

Christian Vasquez C

Nick Lodolo's Return Did Not Rescue Reds Yordan Alvarez Hit 13th

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Nick Lodolo could not rescue the Reds and their losing streak reached eight games as the Houston Astros bested ravaged them in a 10-0 decision.

Mike Burrows the Astros starter pitched a career-high seven innings and kept the Reds at bay, allowing just three hits and a walk. He struck out six.

"He came into the game throwing about 60 percent off speed. His off speed was good," Terry Francona said. "Then he started to get the fastball by a lot of our barrels. Then his change up got better as the game went on."

Lodolo made his first start of the season after recovering from a blister on his left index finger.

Lodolo allowed a single to Yordan Alvarez in the first inning with no score. He retired the first two batters of the second inning but gave up a triple to Brice Matthews and the first home run of the season to Zach Dezenzo. Dezenzo played at Ohio State University and missed the start of the season with an elbow strain. He was recalled on Tuesday from Triple A Sugar Land.

"The first home run, wasn't a bad pitch," Lodolo said. "The pitch to Alvarez came back over the plate. Overall, I threw the ball better than I think I did. Those two pitches standout but I feel good."

The Reds loaded the bases in the fourth against Astros' starter Mike Burrows but Spencer Steer popped out to shallow right and Tyler Stephenson struck out to end the threat. 

Lodolo hit Jose Altuve with a pitch one out into the sixth inning but Alvarez lined his 13th home run of the season on the first pitch of his at bat. Isaac Pareded, the next batter, doubled into the left field corner. Reds' manager Terry Francona, brought Pierce Johnson in from the bullpen.

Lodolo pitched 5 1/3 innings in his first start, allowing four runs on five hit, two of them home runs, one walk and he hit a batter. He had just one strikeout.

The Astros stretched their lead in the eighth inning against Tejay Antone. Altuve doubled on an 0-2 pitch, advanced to second on a ground out to first by Alvarez and scored on a ground ball up the middle. It was fielded by Matt McLain but he didn't have a play at the plate and had to throw to first.

The Astros pounded Tony Santillan in the ninth. Cam Smith and Brice Mathews singled and Zach Cole hit his second home run of the season. Christian Vazquez lofted his third home run and ended Santillan's appearance.

"It was a game, I really didn't want to pitch him," Francona said. "He pitches on adrenaline a lot. We always go back and look to see why. I think it is different things."

Backup catcher Jose Trevino came in for the fourth time this season. His knuckleball was hit for three singles before he got Paredes to fly out and Walker to ground into a 5-3 double play. 

The Reds hold on to a record above .500 at 20-19. The losing streak of eight games is the longest since, April 30 through May 8, 2024 exactly two years ago. The Reds try to prevent a nine game losing streak like the one they suffered from April 26 through May 5, 2022 almost exactly four years ago in the 100 loss season.

"I don't ever think our guys don't compete," Francona said. "It's not going the way we want it to, right now. It hasn't been a fun week for anyone. This is when me and the coaches have to be there for them. We are going to go through this with them. It is always going to be us. It is not going to be us when we win and they when we don't win."

Nick Lodolo Is Reds Hope For Healing As Jim Dandy To The Rescue

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Nick Lodolo may not be Jim Dandy as in the Black Oak Arkansas hit song from the 70's but the Reds hope is he comes to the rescue.

Lodolo missed nearly a quarter of the season so far with a blister on his index finger that is most important for his best pitch hard slider.

Lodolo won nine games in each of the last two seasons and has a career, 24-22 record with a 4.06 ERA in 75 starts.

He will face the Houston Astros for the first time in his career.

Mike Burrows, a 26-year old right hander will take the ball for the Astros.

He was an 11th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 out of Waterford High School in Connecticut.

Burrows made 19 starts for the Pirates last season before being involved in a three-way trade with Houston and the Tampa Bay Rays on December 19.H

Burrows had a 2-4 record with a 3.94 ERA for the Pirates.

He made one start against the Reds, pitching five innings allowing four runs on three hits.

This season he is 1-4 record with a 5.97 ERA for the Astros. He pitched six innings in his last start against the Boston Red Sox last Friday, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk.

"He has been giving us innings. He has great stuff and we can expect him to go on a run. So far, he's had one hit or inning that he's given up runs," Houston manager, Joe Espada said of Burrows.

The Reds lineup:

TJ Friedl CF

JJ Bleday LF

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart 1B

Nathaniel Lowe DH

Spencer Steer RF

Tyler Stephenson C

Matt McLain 2B

Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B

The Astros lineup is:

Jose Altuve 2B

Yordan Alvarez DH

Isaac Paredes 3B

Christian Walker 1B

Cam Smith RF

Brice Mathews CF

Zach Dezenzo LF

Christian Vazquez C

Nick Allen SS

Reds Send Jose Franco To Triple A Louisville Make Room For Nick Lodolo

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Dateline: Cincinnati

Nick Lodolo will make his first start of the season for the Reds against the Houston Astros to start the six-game home stand.

Lodolo left his last spring training start against the Cleveland Guardians on March 23 with a blister on his left index finger. He has missed time with blisters in each of the last three seasons.

Jose Franco was sent to Triple A Louisville to make room for Lodolo on the roster.

Franco appeared in eight games for the Reds, covering 14 2/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs for a 4.30 ERA. His last three appearances were scoreless, including a two inning stint against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday (050726).

Rhett Lowder left the game yesterday early after three innings. He got a cortisone injection on Friday.

"He got the MRI. He is structurally good," manager Terry Francona said. "We are thrilled with. They gave him an injection in the AC joint to calm it down. We are going to see how the next couple days go. Potentially, he will throw a side on Sunday."

"We are going to error on the side of caution but he is not going on the IL, yet. There is a chance. He has only been feeling it in the games. We want to see him ultra aggressive in the side to see how he feels. The last thing we want is for him to go out and pitch an inning and have to come out of the game."

Eugenio Suarez is healing from an oblique strain.

"He is 50 percent better," Francona said. "He's been allowed to start swinging the bat. He took about 50 swings yesterday in the cage. He's taken ground balls and been running. He is going to stay away from the hitting to make the healing, maybe, go quicker."

Hunter Greene is throwing long toss at 115 feet in Arizona.

Caleb Ferguson will pitch an inning for Louisville today and pitch an inning plus on Tuesday. 

Franco is going to follow Chase Petty on Sunday and throw two innings. 

"The idea is to stretch him out more and more but not too much at once," Francona said.

Petty is the likely choice to start if Lowder needs to miss a turn.

Reds Nightmare Ends Seek Safety At Home

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Dateline: Cincinnati

The nightmare road trip ended with a thud. The Chicago Cubs used the Reds against themselves to cruise to an 8-3 drubbing.

It extended the Reds losing streak to seven or every game on the trip. The Cubs have won nine games in a row.

 This series has been frustrating because of  how maddeningly close the were while playing good baseball. The trip ended with self inflicted wounds.

Rhett Lowder left the game after he walked the first two batters in the fourth inning. He left with right shoulder fatigue. In the first three innings he gave up only one hit, Michael Conforto’s second home run of the season.

Connor Phillips relieved him. The last time he relieved Lowder, he walked the first four batters he faced, after Lowder walked three batters faced.

Lowder also walked the first two batters in the third inning but a double play got him out of trouble.

Michael Busch hit a ball toward Spencer Steer at first base. Moving to his right the ball ticked off his glove into right field to load the bases.

Phillips walked Conforto to score Bregman. It was the fourth run, Phillips has walked in on the trip. Reds pitchers have issued 14 walks with the bases loaded this season,

The next play will haunt the Reds.

Dansby Swanson hit a high chop to Ke’Bryan Hayes at third. He stepped on third to remove the force play and threw home and easily beat Happ at the plate but Tyler Stephenson caught the ball as if the force was in effect and did not apply the tag. Happ scored the third run for Chicago. 

What should have been two outs and runners on first and second with a two-run deficit was a three with no outs.

Pete Crow-Armstrong singled to score Conforto. Miguel Amaya singled after Crow-Armstrong stole second to make it 5-0. Nico Hoerner doubled Amaya scored when Stephenson couldn’t hold the throw. The home plate umpire called him out until the ball popped loose. Moises Ballesteros capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

The Reds scored on Sal Stewart’s 10th home run of the season. It came off starter Shota Imanaga. Blake Dunn hit his first home run in his first start, coming off Gavin Hallowell.

The Reds left the bases loaded in the sixth and ninth innings, needing a key hit to deal them back into the game.

The Reds left 15 runners on base and were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Dunn had a bunt single with two on to load the bases. JJ Bleday doubled home Stewart in the ninth. De La Cruz walked but pinch hitter, Nathaniel Lowe, struck out on a close 3-2 pitch that stood up under his challenge.

Rhett Lowder Seeks Redemption To Avoid Cubs Streak

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Dateline: Cincinnati

A fairytale story turned into a nightmare. 

Rhett Lowder, returning from injury, was pitching well until he faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in his last outing. That lasted just 1 1/3 innings.

He walked the last three batters he faced and his relief, Connor Phillips,  walked four in a row. Lowder was charged with eight earned runs.

Prior to that debacle, Lowder had three quality starts of six innings or more, including a long outing of 6 2/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants on April 15.

Lowder has one five inning scoreless start against the Cubs. He gave up three hits and three walks with one strikeout.

Shota Imanaga, the 30-year old, left handed son of Nippon, He has a 3-2 record with a 2.40 ERA. In four of his last five starts, he has pitched six innings or more, twice going seven innings. Imanaga has allowed one run in two of those outings and two have been scoreless.

He has three career starts against the Reds with a 1-0 record and an even 3.00 ERA.

The Reds lineup:

Dane Myers CF

Matt McLain SS

Elly De La Cruz DH

Sal Stewart 2B

Spencer Steer 1B

Tyler Stephenson C

JJ Bleday LF

Blake Dunn RF

Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B

The Cubs lineup:

Nico Hoerner 2B

Moises Ballesteros DH

Alex Bregman 3B

Ian Happ LF

Michael Busch 1B

Michael Conforto RF

Dansby Swanson SS

Pete Crow-Armstrong CF

Miguel Amaya C