Reds Bomb Wounded Rays To Sweep Series

After two extra inning walk off wins over the Tampa Bay Rays, the Reds showered runs like raindrops in a heavy Florida thunder storm.

Jonathan India, Tyler Stephenson and Mike Moustakas hit home runs in the seven run third inning against the drowning Rays starter, Shane Baz in a 10-5 win.

"It is important," David Bell said. "We played some pretty good teams.  This whole homestand was important, we had a winning record.  More importantly it's the way we went about it.  Our team has gotten healthier and gotten better.  We have a long way to go."

All three players that homered have spent time on the Injured List. Stephenson came back from a broken thumb on Saturday afleter he missed a calendar month.  India missed 48 games and has struggled at the plate in the 23 games he's been back.  He followed Matt Reynolds single with his third home run of the season, one row into the left field stands.  Moustakas missed a total of 16 games with two stints on the IL Moustakas hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run job into the seats in right.  It was the 200th home run of Moustakas' career.  He has gone 37 games since he homered in Pittsburgh on May 13.

A lot of good things happened," Bell said.  "It was an exciting day with Moose getting to 200 home runs."

For Moustakas it was a relief after it was a long time coming.

"I've done some pretty cool stuff in my career," Moustakas said.  "I won a World Series, a couple All-Star games and all that good stuff.  It is definitely up there.  A lot of hard work went into that, 200 home runs over 10 years. I have to thank my wife for being by my side and three kids.  It's a family accomplishment."

"You want to get it out of the way to keep going. I started struggling pretty bad for a minute. But I've been feeling pretty good the last few games."

One Reds run in the inning scored after Tommy Pham hit a triple, a line drive that escaped the dive of Josh Lowe in right field.  Tyler Naquin hit a one hopper to a drawn in first baseman, Isaac Paredes. Paredes threw home.  Pham was half way to the plate but retreated back to third.  Catcher Rene Pinto's throw eluded Yandy Diaz at third and Pham scored.  When Stephenson homered it was a two-run shot.

The Rays had to put three players on the Injured List and optioned one to Triple A Durham.  That gave the Rays 15 injured players.  As the Reds are getting injured players back.  The Rays are losing them.li

New Rays hurler Phoenix Sanders relieved Baz.  He ended the inning by striking out Albert Almora Jr. and Reynolds to end the third.

Nick Lodolo started for the Reds and got in trouble right away.  Diaz doubled and Harold Ramirez hit an infield single to open the game.  Lodolo came back to strike out Taylor Walls and Randy Arozarena before Paredes popped to India at second.

The Rays fought back.

Arozarena hit his 10th home run to lead off the fourth, a drive to the grassy knoll in center field.  Paredes and Lowe singled but Lodolo fanned Yu Chang and Pinto.  He then hit the ninth batter in the lineup, Brett Phillips, who started the game hitting .148.  Diaz ripped his third hit of the game to drive home two runs before Lodolo caught Walls looking.

"It is to be expected," Bell said.  "He worked his way back but it still is just his second start back.  He was not as sharp as his first time out.  He was just missing.  He was real close to being outstanding but he was not quite as sharp.  Getting out of the first inning changed the game, even in the fourth inning, he was able to limit the damage.  The way our bullpen was to finish the fifth was big for us."

The Reds got all three back against Sanders.  

Brandon Drury doubled.  Pham singled but Drury held third.  Naquin doubled to the gap in right center to score two.  Donovan Solano's third single to left got Naquin home just ahead of Arozarena's throw.

Lodolo qualified for the win in spite of a lead off double by Arozarena but he was stranded.

"I didn't feel as strong as my last outing. I kind of weathered the storm," Lodolo said. "I wish I could have pitched deeper in the ballgame.  When you get a lot of runs in an inning like that, you want to throw up a zero.  Obviously, I didn't do is that.  I'm upset about that.  I just have to stay focused and stay at it."

Dauri Moreta pitched two scoreless innings.

Lowe and Pinto hit their second home runs off the season in the eighth off Joel Kuhnel.