Nick Senzel Powers Reds To A Win After Bees Delay The Start

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The series finale between the Reds and the San Francisco Giants was delayed by a swarm of bees for 18 minutes.  Nick Senzel stung the Giants when the game started.

David Bell trusted Senzel with the leadoff spot in the Reds batting order.  His faith was repaid with a home run to start the game.  Bell's faith was rewarded with a home run that set the tone for the Reds' 12-4 win over the San Francisco to split the four-game series.

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"It is the quality of his at bats that makes me feel good about him leading off.  He can run too," Bell said.  "It was a really good offensive series.  We'll take the two wins. That is a good team over there.  They compete.  They battled us and came back to win two games.  We continue to compete.  We continue to get better."

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For the fourth straight game the Reds jumped all over the San Francisco Giants' starter.  The victim du jour was left-hander Drew Pomeranz.

Joey Votto followed Senzel's first career leadoff homer with a single.  Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run, first inning home run for the second time in two days.  The Reds continued.  Yasiel Puig grounded out but Kyle Farmer walked.  Jose Iglesias tripled down the right field line.  Curt Casali singled him home.

Senzel hit his second home run of the game, leading off the second inning.  Suarez singled with one out. Puig singled.  Iglesias doubled to score Suarez.

The Reds had at least a four-run lead in all four games of the series but the Giants came back to win two of them.  Anthony DeSclafani was trusted with holding this lead. He gave up a double to Brandon Belt to lead off the second.  Suarez threw Pablo Sandoval's ground ball into the camera well for an ettor.  Belt scored the unearned run in the top of the second.

DeSclafani pitched six innings for the third game in a row.   The Giants followed their modis operandi by initiating a come back, scoring three runs in the sixth.  Joe Panik doubled.  DeSclafani got the next two on fly balls but he walked Belt.  Sandoval followed with his third home run of the season to cut the lead in half at 7-4.

The Reds broke the game open in the bottom sixth with bevy of bruises.  Suarez was hit by pitch with one out by Pat Venditte, who pitches with both arms depending who is at the plate.  Puig walked.  Farmer singled for one run.  Iglesias singled over the head of Gerber in left for another run.  Curt Casali singled.  Venditte hit Peraza to load the bases and pinch hitter Josh VanMeter to drive home his first career run.  Nick Vincent replaced Venditte.  Senzel struck out but Venditte hit Votto to score the Reds fifth run of the inning.

"I thought when we scored the runs after Sandoval's home run, that was important from an momentum standpoint. A lot of good things happened todayfi," said Bell, who gave opposing manager Bruce Bochy a retirement gift before the game.  Bell worked alongside the Giants' manager of 13 years last season as a member of the Giants development team.

Iglesias had a triple, double and single coming into his last at bat in the seventh inning, needing a home run to complete the cycle.

"I thought about the home run a little bit until I got two strikes," Iglesias said.  "I really like the way this team is swinging the bats now."

Senzel had homers in his first two at bats but struck out in the next three.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Senzel is the first Reds' player to hit three home runs in his first four games.

"After the home runs I struck out three times," Senzel.  "I was pretty happy but wasn't too happy about my last couple AB's.  I'm glad we won.  I like leadoff a lot.  I have the chance to be aggressive. I just honestly don't think I'm going that well.  There is a lot of room to grow.  I can go way better . I'm not where I want to be."

The four hit batters in the inning tied the Major League record.  Boston Braves hitters were plunked four times in the second inning of the first game of a double header against Pittsburgh on August 19, 1893.

Sandoval came in to pitch the ninth for the Giants.  He hit Peraza with a pitch, setting the Reds' team record with five batters hit.  It tied the big league record for the fifth time.  The last time five batters were hit by a pitch was on August 23, 2017 when five St. Louis Cardinals batters were hit five times by San Diego Padres pitchers.

Sandoval pitched a scoreless eighth, getting Senzel to hit into a double play to end the inning.  Sandoval hit a home run, stole a base and pitched a scoreless inning.

Zach Duke pitched two scoreless innings.  Wandy Peralta pitched a scoreless ninth.