Reds Hit Five Home Runs To Slay Giants

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The Reds had the home run ball working for the second night in a row but this time the pitchers were on the same page.

Eugenio Suarez, Tucker Barnhart, Derek Dietrich, Yasiel Puig and Nick Senzel hit home runs off Dereck Rodriguez in the Reds' 9-2 win over the San Francisco Giants.

Tanner Roark walked two and allowed two hits in six innings.  On Friday, the Reds staked Sonny Gray to an 8-0 lead but Gray walked two in a three-run inning, leading to an early departure and taxing a tired bullpen.  The Reds lost 12-11 when the bullpen failed to stop the Giants' comeback.

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"Last night's game tested our toughness.  I know it did mine.  After last night this says a lot about our team." David Bell said.  "Tanner seemed to know exactly what we needed.  He was determined to finish the game.  He got a little tired there."

Puig's single drove in Jesse Winker, who doubled in the first inning.

The Giants scratched a game-tying run off Roark after a two-out single and stolen base by Kevin Pillar and a single by Steven Duggar, who chipped in three hits and three RBI on Friday.

Jose Peraza worked Rodriguez for a rare walk, his third in over 100 plate appearances.  Roark singled with Peraza running.  Barnhart's force of Roark drove in Peraza.  Joey Votto reached base for the first time in four games with a walk.  Suarez unloaded his eighth home run to make it a 5-1 game.

"Gino (Eugenio Suarez) was the turning point," Bell said.  "The catch against Senzel could have easily led to a long stretch without one.  All nine runs were scored with two outs.  That's a good sign."

Senzel, who got his first big league hit with a slow roller to third on Friday, hit a ball over the center field fence but Pillar climbed it to bring it back for the third out of the third inning.

"I'm extremely happy with my at bats today," Senzel said.  "I thought I hit the first one better but it kind of came back.  It was a 3-2 fastball.  He didn't want to walk me.  The second one was a fastball down the middle.  I got the ball.  The kid who caught it was his birthday."


Barnhart hit his third home run in the fourth.   Derek Dietrich hit his eighth home run of the season and third in the last two games two outs into the fifth.  This time Senzel lined one where there "ain't nobody playin," for his first career home run.  Puig and Dietrich lifted the rookie above their heads in celebration.

"Having one caught like that can lead to a long stretch without one," Bell said.  "It was nice that he got his first one at home."

Roark pitched into the seventh inning, his longest outing of the season.  He retired 14 out of 15 batters with just a walk to Duggar to spoil his streak.  Roark struck out two around a double by Brandon Crawford.  Duggar drove in another run with a single that spelled the end of the night after 113 pitches.  Cody Reed, who was recalled earlier in the day, relieved Roark.  Reed struck out Stephen Vogt to end the seventh.  Roark finished with 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two walks.  He struck out a season-high seven.  Roark is now 7-1 lifetime against the Giants.

"I made a little mechanical change," Roark said.  "My dad, Toby, told me my tempo was too slow.  When we score runs I want to bounce back and get three outs as soon as possible. "

On his record against the Giants Roark said, "It is just one of those things.  The real moving my hands to get my arm moving faster was the difference."

Puig hit his fifth home run off ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte. It was Puig's third hit of the game.

Reed finished the game with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.