Reds Overpower Rangers To Avoid A Sweep

Jesse Winker got to put on a show for his dad, Joe.  Winker had career highs with four hits and five runs batted in after spending a rare weekend with his dad.

"It was really cool to have a good day on Father's Day," Winker said.  "It was a cool weekend with my dad (Joe).  We got to play some cards and smoke some cigars.  It was funny he had to be at the airport by five.  He tried to stay for as many at bats as he could."

The Reds pounded out 14 hits, including two home runs to soundly defeat the Texas Rangers 11-3 to stop an attempted road sweep.

The pattern remained the Rangers were the first to the scoreboard.  Former Red Shin-Soo Choo hit his 12th home run of the season off Sonny Gray, following Delino DeShields in the first inning.

DeShields and his father Delino A DeShields had a father-son moment by taking out the lineup cards.  Texas manager Chris Woodward rearranged his lineup with DeShields leading off instead of Choo.

"There are baseball reasons for it too but it was mostly to get Delino out there as the first batter of the game," Woodward said.  "I like Delino there and it gives us a right-left-right lineup."

The Reds roared back against Texas starter, Ariel Jurado.  Yasiel Puig's ground ball hit the first base bag for a single.  Josh VanMeter drove a single to right center that sent Puig to third.  Jose Peraza drove in Puig with a fly to right.  Tucker Barnhart singled.  Gray bunted the runners over a base and Jesse Winker's double brought them both home.

Choo singled with two outs against Gray.  Hunter Pence hit his 15th home run to tie the game.

The Reds broke the tie in the third.

Derek Dietrich was hit by a pitch to open the frame.  Puig barely made contact but the ball rolled into no man's land and Puig had his second infield hit of the day.   VanMeter's sharp ground ball to right for his second hit loaded the bases.  Peraza responded with his second sacrifice fly of the game.

The Reds broke the game open with a pair of two-run home runs in the fourth.  Gray tripled to start the inning. It was his first career extra base hit.  Winker hit his 11th home run and first since May 18.  Jurado walked Joey Votto and was pulled from the game.  Pete Fairchild came in to pitch to Eugenio Suarez, who struck out.  Puig made up for his chintzy infield hits with a drive off the batter's eye in center for his 13th home run.

"It was a big day for Wink," David Bell said.  "The two-run home run was the big hit of the game. Overall they were good at bats.  He's been hitting the ball hard the results haven't been there."

It seemed like a long time for Winker, who really just wanted to be involved.

"Any time you can contribute it's great," Winker said. "You just want to help the team win when you get your shot.  I saw all his pitches pretty well.  I took a lot of pride to drive in those runs."

The Reds added to the lead against Jeff Springs.   Peraza hit a ground rule double.  Pence came up lame in his pursuit of the basl and had to leave the game.  Barnhart and pinch hitter Phil Ervin walked to load the bases. Winker single to score Peraza.  Votto drew a bases loaded walk.  Shelby Miller replaced Springs.  Suarez hit a soft liner to Ronald Guzman at first.  Guzman stepped on first and threw Winker out at second as Ervin scored.  Diertrich reached on catchers interference and Puig wias hit by a pitch.  VanMeter lined out to center.

Gray pitched five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk.  He picked up his third win in his last four decisions to improve to 3-5.

"He could have gone farther," Bell said.  "We thought it was the right thing to do with the weather.  It gave us a chance to get Jared (Hughes), Robert (Stephenson) and Zach (Duke) in the game."

Winker singled in the sixth to cap his big day.