Scott Schebler Home At Last

Scott Schebler last played at Great American Ball Park against the Chicago White Sox on the Fourth of July.

The left-handed batter was batting leadoff.  Schebler had a .276 batting average and a .352 on-base-percentage at a time when the Reds' offense was humming.   Schebler lost an argument with the right field wall in St. Louis in the eighth game of a nine-game road trip. He missed the next 42 games with a sore shoulder.

Schebler returned last weekend in Chicago against the Cubs but his start Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers marks the first time he's been in the lineup at home.

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"I don't even know how many days it's been," Schebler said.  "It seems like it's been forever.  I'm excited to get back out there in front of the home crowd.  We seem to play better at home, so we can get a little win streak going before we get back on the road."

The Reds play just three against the Brewers before they hit the road again to visit St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

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In the 42 games that Schebler missed, the Reds were 18-24, hit 259 and scored 171 runs or 4.07 per game.  Earlier in the year both Schebler and Eugenio Suarez missed games between April 8 and April 26.  During the 63 games when the Reds had both Suarez and Schebler in the lineup the Reds were 33-30, hit .266 and scored 323 runs or 5.12.

"We needed someone to hit behind Suarez," said Jim Riggleman of the Reds' hitter who is among the National League leaders in batting average, .293, home runs, 29 and RBI, 93. "We need left handed bats in our lineup."

The Reds are now without Joey Votto, who was due to come off the disabled list but will work out the next two days before he is cleared to play.  Jesse Winker, who was in the process of a fine season before a shoulder injury put him out for the season.  Winker was hitting .299 with seven home runs, 43 RBI and was on base at a .405 clip before he was shut down on July 23.