Blue Jays Turn Hunter Greene Blue With Five Home Runs

The Toronto Blue Jays turned Hunter Greene blue with a club record five home runs to win the series on a 10-3 rout.

Greene returned from the 60-day injured list to start the rubber game of the three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

His start was rocky. Bo Bichette tripled past the leaping attempt of a catch at the wall by TJ Friedl. Bichette scored on an error on a ground ball by Brandon Belt.

Hyun Jin-Ryu started for Toronto. He is also recovering from injury making his fourth start since returning. He retired the Reds in order in the first.

The Blue Jays went after Greene in the second inning. Danny Jansen doubled down the third base line with one out. Kevin Kiermaier put his sixth home run of the year into the Blue Jays bullpen in right field. Whit Merrifield doubled and after Bichette struck out Belt hit his 12th home run off the top of the right field wall. Stuart Fairchild appeared to be shaken up on the play. He was removed from the game under concussion protocol.

Spencer Steer hit an infield single to open the Reds second. Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled Steer to third. In his first big league at bat flied out to shallow left. Steer bluffed going home. Matt Chapman cutoff the throw. Encarnacion-Strand took off for second. Chapman threw the ball wide of second baseman Whit Merrifield that split the outfielders all the way to the wall in center as both runners scored.

The Blue Jays bludgeoned Greene in the fourth. Bichette hit his 18th. Belt blasted his second of the game and 13th of the season that reached the left field seats. It was his 10th career two-home run game and second of the year. Vladimir Guerrero walked and George Springer hit his 15h of the season. When Varsho walked, Greene was removed in favor of Buck Farmer. He completed the inning with no further damage.

The five home runs Greene allowed tied the Reds record for the 12th time. Greene gave up five home runs to the Milwaukee Brewers on May 5 last season. He pitched three plus innings and was charged with eight earned runs on 10 hits and three walks. He finished with four strikeouts.

"It was frustrating. It is not what I envisioned for my first game back," Greene said. "I feel good but it was really frustrating.

"I think we need a little bit of time to let it (Greene's game) sink in and maybe take a closer look, watch the video," David Bell said. "From where I was I thought his stuff was good. He had a really good fastball, slider, he tried to use his change up a little. They were seeing him really good. They were on everything. Clearly it was not a good day. Overall, he seamed healthy, the injury concerns and if everything else checks out he got the first one under his belt. He should be fine."

Guerrero Jr. injured his left middle finger on a bad swing in the fourth inning.

Ryu allowed two unearned runs on four hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out five.

Tyler Stephenson hit his ninth home run batting for Luke Maile in the seventh. The home run off Bowden Francis was his second pinch hit home run of the season. 

The Reds committed four errors in the game. MaLain and Marte made one. Elly De La Cruz made two errors. The Blue Jays were charged with two errors.

Jansen singled home Varsho, who hit a double off Alex Young to close out the Blue Jays' scoring. 

Francis earned his first career save. 

Marte doubled in the ninth inning for his first Major League hit.

Fairchild will miss at least seven days with a concussion.

"Stuart (Fairchild) does have a concussion," Bell said. "He led off the next inning. I asked him. The trainers asked him if he was ok at that point. There was not enough time to get to the bottom of it. He went back out and had some more plays, chasing down. The combination of things brought out the symptoms a little bit after the fact. The good thing is we got him out of there to take care of him, hopefully, we'll get him back after that."

Maile was taken out of the game after he was hit flush in the mask.

"It was the same thing. It looks like he does not have concussion but had a bit of a headache," Bell said.

Davis Schneider Home Run Evens Series With Between Blue Jays And Reds

Rookie Davis Schneider, who homered in his first Major League at bat on August 4, broke a 3-3 tie to stake the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-3 win to even the series.

The Reds shutout the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Brandon Williamson extended the scoreless streak to 12 2/3 innings but Toronto used four singles and a walk with two outs to jump ahead, 3-0.

The Blue Jays loaded with legacies the sons of former Major League players ambushed Williamson with two outs. Cavan Biggio (father Craig Biggio) singled with two outs. Williamson got ahead of Santiago Espinal, a .218 hitter with two home runs, but walked him. Daulton Varsho (father Gary Varsho) singled to start the scoring. Whit Merrifield singled home Espinal. Bo Bichette (father Dante Bichette) singled plate Varsho. Williamson got Vladimir Guerrero (father Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and uncle Wilton Guerrero) grounded out to end the inning.

The lead lasted just three batters into the fourth inning.

After Chris Bassitt struck out five of the first nine batters that he retired in a row, TJ Friedl put his 11th home run into the right field seats. Matt McLain walked. Electric Elly De La Cruz turned on the crowd. He lined a 1-2 pitch on a line over the head of Biggio in right. The ball hit the base of the fence and bounded away from the right fielder. McLain raced home and De La Cruz turned on the after burners and rounded third. Biggio's throw trickled past the cutoff man and De La Cruz headed home, safe with a dive ahead of the throw.

"I was running hard to third base and once I saw that ball was in the middle of nowhere," De La Cruz said, through an interpreter. "I knew I had to run hard to get to home plate. I was looking to see if they were sending McLain home. When I saw that, I knew I had to go. Once I got to third base I knew I was going to be safe. Then I saw the ball get past Vlady Jr. and between the third baseman and the pitcher. So I knew I had to move quickly and take the chance."

Schneider hit his third home run in the fifth to put Toronto back in front.

Williamson got two outs in the top of the sixth. David Bell summoned Fernando Cruz to get the final out of the inning.

The Reds put two men on with one out against Trevor Richards in the seventh. Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled and Tyler Stephenson followed with another single. Toronto manager John Schneider chose Tim Mayza to face left handed hitting Will Benson. David Bell countered with switch hitter Henry Ramos, who hit a grounder to short but beat the relay to first base. Stuart Fairchild walked to load the bases. Friedl struck out swinging to end the threat.

Alex Young retired the Jays in order in the seventh.

Former Cardinal, Jordan Hicks entered in the bottom of the eighth. It was Hicks that gave up the game winning home run to Encarnacion-Strand in the Reds' 1-0 win on Friday.

Hicks held the lead into the ninth with two strike outs in a 1-2-3 inning.

Derek Law walked two batters but struck out three to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.

Jordan Romano with 29 saves in 32 chances came in to nail it down for Toronto. Joey Votto walked to open the ninth. Noelvi Marte made his big league debut as a pinch runner. Encarnacion-Strand singled to right. After Stephenson flied out to right, Marte and Encarnacion-Strand pulled a double steal. Ramos stepped into the batter's box. He struck out on three pitches. Fairchild grounded out weakly to third to end the game.

"It was a great play. We prepare before each series with all the information," David Bell said. "A lot of times we just give them the information and turn them loose to play the game and understand the situations. To get to be able to get to third base with less than two outs there are so many more ways to score a run. If he gets thrown out at third base you look at it like a tough play. At the same time, there is so much gain right there. In his first time ever in the big leagues, being the tying run, to have the courage to make a play like that is special. It is the sign of things to come."

Marte has jumped three levels this year since joining the Reds organization through the trade of Luis Castillo last July 29.

Kevin Newman strained his left oblique and the Reds chose to bring Marte to the big club, leaving Nick Senzel at Louisville.

"For me, I saw the opportunity to go. I saw how the pitcher was moving his leg. I knew I had the opp ortunity to get there," said Marte through an interpreter. "Before the game we went over the pitcher and what their movements were. I knew I had the chance to do something right there."

 

Matt McLain Powers The Reds Over Cleveland In Ohio Cup Matchup

Matt McLain drove in three runs with a home run and a double to propel the Reds to a 7-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians.

"It is fun when you contribute like that to a win," McLain said. "It was just good to get back on track and back to my approach. That is all I'm trying to do. For it to show up today was a good feeling for me."

The win evened the Ohio Cup competition at one game apiece.

TJ Friedl had three hits, scored three runs and saved two. 

The Reds opened the game against Noah Syndergaard with two hits that put them up to a quick lead. TJ Friedl hit a ground single up the middle for a single. Matt McLain lined a double to the left centerfield gap to score the speedy Friedl.

Andrew Abbott started for the Reds and allowed a hit in the first inning but struck out two. Brayan Rocchio opened the second inning with a single but with one out, Gabriel Arias hit a line drive that MaLain leaped to catch his throw to catch Rocchio but it was wide and hit off the dugout railing. Rocchio went to second on an apparent throwing error but the Reds appealed that he left early. First base umpire Jim Wolf signaled safe but the Reds got the call overturned when replays revealed that the runner past first base getting back and did not retouch on the way to second. It turned into a double play.

The Guardians tied the game in the third but Friedl made a play to prevent more damage. Myles Straw singled to start the inning. He advanced on a fly out to Friedl in deep center. Steven Kwan lined to left. Jose Ramirez tied the game with a solid single. Ramon Laureano hit a fly to deep center field. Friedl timed his leap and with his wrist above the 8'4" wall made the inning ending catch to keep the game tied.

"We practiced that today," Friedl revealed. "We literally lined up in shallow right field and set up the machine. While the pitchers and infielders were doing PFP we were working on robbing home runs. When I'm coming off the field I look at him (Collin Cowgill). When I'm running off the field he was ecstatic. I said that' because we worked on that today. Like what are the chances? Like once in a career. Like not very many chances."

The Reds have been struggling lately but at least for one game, they showed why the were the talk of the league leading into the All-Star break.

"I think a lot of different facets of the game," said Friedl, who had three singles, including a drag bunt hit. "Guys making plays in the infield things that we've done all season, getting on base, getting bunt down on a lefty. Those plays don't come very often."

The Reds took the lead in the bottom of the fourth Christian Encarnacion-Strand lined a single up the middle. Stuart Fairchild hit his fifth home run of the season into the leftfield stands. With two outs Friedl hit his second single of the game and stole second. McLain lined his 13th home run into the stands in left to put the Reds ahead 5-4.

Arias opened the fifth against Abbott with his seventh home run of the season.

The Reds loaded the bases against Syndergaard in the fifth with one out. Joey Votto singled, Encarnacion-Strand walked and Fairchild singled. Cleveland manager Terry Francona matched up left handed pitcher against Will Benson. Benson pulled a one-hop ground ball to Arias at first base. Arias stepped on first removing the force and threw home to get the slow footed Votto but catcher Bo Naylor dropped the ball and Votto scored.

Naylor was a replacement for Cam Gallagher, who took a hard foul ball off his mask. Gallagher is being checked for a concussion.

Fernando Cruz relieved Abbott to start the sixth. Abbott pitched five innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out seven and issued no walks.

The Guardians had four miscues to aid the Reds' cause. Friedl hit a drag-bunt single for his third hit. Norris was shaken up on the play but stayed in. McLain flew out and Elly De La Cruz struck out but Spencer Steer reached on an error by Ramirez at third. Votto singled past the shortstop to drive Friedl home. The throw got away from Naylor for another Guardian error charged to Straw. Encarnacion-Strand walked to load the bases but Eli Morgan retired Fairchild on a fly to center.

Fernando Cruz, Sam Moll, Derek Law and newcomer Alan Busenitz finished the game with four scoreless innings. 

"Tonight was an opportunity that he (Abbott 8-3) could have gone six or seven innings. A lot that goes into the decision. The health and availability of our bullpen," David Bell said. "The individual pitcher and where they are in their season. Tonight it wasn't for a lack of thinking that Andrew could go back for another inning but you also look that if we do that he might have to work in 100, 105 pitches just to get out of the inning. We did have a rested bullpen and an off day tomorrow."

The catch played into Abbott's ability to make it through five innings.

"I think it was safe to say that me and Luke (Maile) both thought it was going to be a homer. Then is wasn't," Abbott said. "In the moment I think I threw my hands up and said oh my God. That's still my reaction. I might not have in the game as long. It would have been a different ballgame if he didn't make that catch."

 

Hunter Greene Will Start Sunday Against Toronto Nick Lodolo Is Close Luke Weaver DFA'd

The Reds cut ties with one of its off season acquisitions when they designated Luke Weaver for assignment.

The veteran right hander was signed as a free agent in January. He made 21 starts for the Reds and had a 2-4 record with a 6.87 ERA. Weaver gave up a whopping 24 home runs in 97 innings.

"I've known Luke for a long time. He's going to be missed on our team. He was very well liked. He was a great teammate. It is easy to do that when everything is going perfect. But he struggled at times for sure," David Bell said. "We know he can still pitch but Greene and Lodolo played into our decision."

Weaver was expected to stabilize a young staff consisting of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft. That didn't happen when all three went down with injuries at some point. Ashcraft returned and has pitched well but Greene and Lodolo were out much longer.

Greene pitched 5 2/3 innings against Iowa last night, allowing an unearned run on one hit. He struck out nine. The right hander, who signed a $53 million extension earlier this year, had problems with his hip which has been solved.

TeJay Antone pitched an inning and allowed a run on two hits in his assignment against Iowa.

Lodolo pitched three scoreless innings for Chattanooga against Birmingham last night. He allowed no hits and walked two while striking out six. He will pitch against Iowa on Sunday.

The two young pitches plus the emergence of Brandon Williamson, who has pitched 28 1/3 innings in his last five outings, allowing 10 runs and picking up three wins. He has a 3.18 ERA in that span. He struck out 29 and walked just nine.

 

The Sun Shined On The Guardians At The Right Time

On an overcast evening with a 6:40PM, the sun peaked through the clouds just as Jose Ramirez was rocketing right to Spencer Steer, who never saw it. Instead of an out, the line drive keyed a two-run first inning for the Cleveland Guardians.

The fortuitous sun carried the visitors to a 3-0 win over the Reds.

The Guardians jumped in front of the Reds in the first inning against Graham Ashcraft. Steven Kwan opened the game with a single. Ramirez, who finished his suspension for his fight with Tim Anderson, hit a line drive right at Spencer Steer in left. Steer lost the ball in the sun and Ramirez recorded a double. Andres Gimenez struck out but Kole Colhoun dumped a two-run single to left.

Cleveland added a run in the seventh inning. Myles Straw reached base for the third time with a single. Straw stole second base. Kwan's second hit of the game scored Straw to make it 3-0.

The Reds had baserunners against Guardian starting left hander Logan Allen. The Reds had at least one base runner in five of Allen's six innings, including the leadoff batter in three of them but didn't score.

"He (Logan Allen) has been on a bit of a roll for them, pitching well," David Bell said. "He came in today with five different pitches was able to change speed, threw strikes. He went right after our hitters. It made for tough at bats all night."

The best chance the Reds had against Allen when Matt McLain led off the sixth with a walk. Elly De La Cruz hit an infield single but was thrown out at second trying to advance on Steer's fly to deep right. Will Brennan threw De La Cruz out on a close play.

"That's always a players instinct in situations like that," Bell said. "We definitely encourage it. On fly balls to the outfield, there are a lot of missed opportunities tagging up. It's a reaction that base runners have. They get out too far. You know the ball off the bat if you read that is not going to be a home run, we encourage guys to break back and tag up and we can score a lot of runs that way. I thought the thought process that Elly had right there was perfect. He may have just been a hair late getting back and got a late start but the idea is right."

Enyl De Los Santos struck out the first two batters in the seventh but former Guardian Will Benson doubled to the gap in left center batting for Tyler Stephenson. Joey Votto struck out batting for T J Hopkins. 

Alex Young relieved Ashcraft in the eighth. Ashcraft pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out two. Keeping the score right where it was. 

"It was a great start he (Graham Ashcraft) has been on a roll as well for us," Bell said. "Maybe he wasn't as sharp tonight. Having said that if that ball doesn't get lost in the sun that first inning it could have been a shutout."

Trevor Stephan pitched a perfect eighth for Cleveland.

Steer greeted Guardian closer Emmanuel Clase with a single to open the ninth. Henry Ramos struck out. Christian Encarnacion-Strand popped out to second baseman Andres Gimenez. Friedl flew to center as Clase earned his 32nd save.

 

Marlins Late Home Run By The Wrong De La Cruz Beat The Reds

The wrong De La Cruz homered in the ninth inning to send the Reds reeling in a series loss to the Miami Marlins, 5-4.

It was Bryan De La Cruz, who belted his 16th home run into the Marlins' bullpen on Alexis Diaz first pitch in the ninth inning.

The loss cost the Reds the series and a spot in the Wild Card race as Miami moved ahead of them.

"It was a tough loss," David Bell said. "Graham pitched a great game probably got the most ground balls he's had all year. He attacked the strike zone, a lot of swing and miss. Even a position like that. We had good at bats today. We had a lead. We just weren't able to hold on to it."

Rookie Christian Encarnacion-Strand drove in three runs and Spencer Steer hit a game tying home run off veteran Johnny Cueto to lead the Reds to put the Reds in front.

Graham Ashcraft continued his string of strong starts, allowing just Josh Bell's 13th home run of the season that started the scoring in the fourth inning.

Steer posted the second hit with two outs in the bottom of the inning with his team-leading 18th home run.

Joey Votto reached his former teammate with his second hit of the game and Encarnacion-Strand followed with his third long ball of the season.

Ashcraft retired 12 of the next 13 batters after Bell's home run, walking Jacob Stallings in the fifth. He allowed two hits in the first inning but escaped undamaged.

The Reds put three singles together against Jorge Lopez by Matt McLain, Votto and Encarnacion-Strand to extend their lead.

Ian Gibaut took over in the eighth for Ashcraft, who went seven innings after logging eight in his last start. He was victimized by a blown save after one run on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.

"These day games with it being earlier," Ashcraft said. "It was really humid with the rain that came in earlier. I was pretty gassed. I mean that last inning I was trying to leave in all out there on the field."

Gibaut allowed a one-out single to Jon Berti but struck out Jorge Soler looking. Soler and Marlins' manager Skip Schumaker were ejected by home plate umpire Bill Miller.

Cincinnati manager David Bell brought in left hander Sam Moll to face NL leading hitter left handed Luis Arraez. Arraez got his first hit in nine at bats in the series. Moll was set to face switch hitting Josh Bell with another lefty Jazz Chisholm on deck. Bell hit the first pitch 409 feet into the right field stands to tie the game. Bell homered from both sides of the plate, hitting opposite field drives off Ashcraft and Moll.

David Robertson started the ninth seeking a save for the second straight game. His scoreless ninth did the trick, striking out the Reds' De La Cruz to end the game.

Diaz is tied with Comilio Doval with 33 saves, including the series opener Monday night. He is one off the League's lead in appearances at 53.

"His (Diaz) struggle is nothing more than every player (has)," Bell said. "Alexis Diaz has had an incredible season for us. Two seasons for us. You can't be perfect. You can't be expected to dominate every single time you go out there. Especially for a young player. We expect adjustment. We expect development. We expect improvement. Our guys are working every day. "

Ashcraft went through a stretch of eight starts in which he allowed six runs or more in five of them. Since June 30th, covering eight starts in which he has allowed a total of 10 runs.

"Graham is a perfect example, said Bell to bolster his point about Diaz. "He had a tough time. It was a pretty short period of time. He had a few tough outings and then he kept working at it. He kept believing in himself and he came out of it a better pitcher than before he struggled."

"It's frustrating," Ashcraft said of the Reds' current rough patch. "We're playing the game really well. Guys are making quality pitches when we need them to and guys are taking quality at bats when we need them too. I don't know it's baseball. It's par for the course. They're times when you're on top of the world, nothing stops you. There's times when you go out be excellent and still get beat. It's not an easy game if it was every one would do it. We have a little tough stretch that we're going through. We're going to get out of it."

Jorge Soler Powers Marlins Over Reds

Jorge Soler hit his 28th home run and second of the series to put the Miami Marlins ahead. Soler greeted Lucas Sims with a line drive over the right centerfield wall. 

The Marlins scored first for the second straight night. Luke Weaver got the first two batters out in the second inning. Jake Burger and Joey Wendle hit back-to-back doubles to score one run. Nick Fortes beat out a dribbled ball to third baseman Nick Senzel. Weaver walked Jorge Soler, who has 27 home runs coming into the game. Weaver had to face baseball's leading hitter Luis Arraez with the bases loaded. He got Arraez to grounded out to Elly De La Cruz to end the inning.

The Reds got the run back against Braxton Garrett in the bottom of the inning. Spencer Steer opened the inning with a solid single. Kevin Newman forced him at second, and moved to second on a wild pitch. TJ Friedl hit a double to score Newman.

Stuart Fairchild, leading off the fifth inning, dumped a flair down the right field line. It landed just fair but got past Jesus Sanchez and rolled down the right field line. Fairchild made third easily and was waived home but third base coach, changed his mind and threw up a stop sign when Fairchild was half way home. The runner stopped in the middle but Arraez, relay was low. Catcher Fortes blocked the low throw but couldn't control it. Fairchild sprinted the rest of the way and dived around Fortes tag. It was ruled a triple and an error on Arraez.

"Off the bat I thought pop up, I'm out," Fairchild said. "I kind of jogged out of the box. I saw that he (Sanchez) wasn't really hustling very hard to get it. That's when I got on my horse and started digging. Once I saw him miss the ball, I thought stand up triple easy. When I was halfway to third base, I saw J.R. (House) waiving me. He threw on the stop sign right when I was touching third base. I was too far gone. I just kept going. I saw the ball coming in. I was halfway home when the catcher was about to have the ball. I was out at that point but when he bobbled it. I was like, I have to take a chance at this."

"I don't know if I've ever had one to be honest with you. I didn't happen in college or high school so maybe little league when I had one."

Sam Moll relieved Weaver in the top of the fifth with Soler on first with his second single. Moll got Arraez to roll into a 4-6-3 double play. Moll allowed a leadoff double to Josh Bell in the sixth but got two quick outs. Miami manager Skip Schumaker sent Jon Berti to bat for Sanchez. David Bell countered with Buck Farmer. Berti lined out to Fairchild in right.

Farmer got the first two outs in the seventh inning but hit the .219 hitting Fortes. Lucas Sims entered the game. Soler hit a line drive just above the right centerfield fence. 

Garrett, Andrew Nardi and Tanner Scott retired 12 Reds' batters in a row after Fairchild's triple.

Newly acquired, David Robertson came in to close the game out for  Miami. Robertson came from the New York Mets on July 30. He walked Joey Votto but struck out Christian Encarnacion-Strand looking to earn his second save as a Marlin and 16th of the season. 

"We know we need to score more runs to be able to win," Bell said. "I thought we took some good at bats off of Garrett. They made some nice plays. No question we need more opportunities on the bases. They did a nice job in keeping us off the bases."

The Marlins ended their five-game losing streak and moved to within a half game of the Reds in the Wild Card standings.

Brandon Williamson Is The Stopper Hooking The Miami Marlins.

Brandon Williams pitched deep into the game to catch the Miami Marlins in his pitching net to end the Reds' six-game losing streak in a 5-2 win for the home team.

Both teams are close to each other in the Wild Card race and both entered the game on losing streaks. The Reds is six games. The Marlins are on a four-game losing streak and lost six of its last seven.

Jorge Soler started the scoring lifting an offering from Brandon Williamson into the first row of the right field stands for his 27th long ball of the season.

Eury Perez, all of 20 years old stuffed the first seven Reds' hitters, four on strikeouts before Will Benson and Elly De La Cruz walked. TJ Friedl got the Reds' first hit with two outs, a line drive just inside the right field foul line with a triple to put the Reds in front.

The Reds added to their lead with its fifth set of back-to-back home runs off Perez to start the fourth. Christian Encarnacion-Strand lined his second home run into the left field stands. Joey Votto launched his 13th homer deep into the right field seats.

Williamson cruised through the sixth inning. He retired 17 batters without a hit, striking out a career-high nine. The lone runner Jon Berti reached on an error by Elly De La Cruz. Josh Bell reached on an infield hit to start the seventh. Bryan De La Cruz singled past Spencer Steer at third base. Jake Burger hit a soft ground ball to Votto, who flipped to Williamson covering as the runners moved up. Jesus Sanchez, who entered the game when Avisail Garcia was ejected, popped foul to Steer. David Bell removed Williamson, having equaled his longest career outing. Lucas Sims struck out Yuli Gurriel to keep the margin at three. 

The Reds put up an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Friedl singled one out into the inning. He stole second and scampered to third on a throwing error by Nick Fortes. Steer delivered him with a fly to deep center.

Jazz Chisholm hit his first career pinch hit home run and 11th of the season to lead off the eighth against Ian Gibaut. Berti hit a bad hop single. Steer nearly turned a double play. First base umpire Rob Drake called Soler out but a replay revealed Soler was safe. Gibaut struck out Josh Bell.

Alexis Diaz made his first game since Friday. He earned his 33rd save in his 34th attempt by getting league's leading hitter Luis Arraez to hit into a game ending double play.

The Reds And Nationals Sweeps As Washington Sent The Reds To Its Sixth Straight Loss

The first four Washington Nationals scored in the first inning and held on to sweep the Reds on a 6-3 win. The Reds swept Washington a month ago in four games in the capitol. The Nationals turned the tables to send the Reds to a sixth straight defeat.

Lyon Richardson had until 1:42 pm Sunday to enjoy his first Major League appearance. CJ Abrams proved inhospitable, launching his 11th home run of the season deep into the right field stands on Richardson's first pitch. Lane Thomas continued his assault of the Reds in general by hitting Richardson's second pitch on the grassy knoll in center. It was his 19th home run of the season and third of the series. Joe Meneses walked. Keibert Ruiz dumped a single into left. They moved up on a ground out and scored on Jake Alu's single.

"I didn't think I made that bad of a pitch," Richardson said. "I might have missed a little bit more middle than I wanted to. I think he was just ready for a heater and hit it."

Richardson, 23, was the Reds second pick in the 2018 draft between Jonathan India and Washington's Josiah Gray. He missed 2022 with an injury but moved through the Reds' system rapidly this year. The Jensen Beach, Florida native made three starts at Daytona, 15 at Chattanooga and one in Louisville with a 1.86 ERA with a 0-2 record. His longest outing was four innings.

Ben Lively strained his left pectoral muscle while giving up 13 runs to the Chicago Cubs. Richardson filled in on Sunday.

"I don't think I'd redo it," Richardson said. "I was just thinking that I had to get myself dialed in and get a few outs here. There is always nerves but I do a pretty good job of managing it. It wasn't necessarily the nerves that got the pitches hit. It was me."

Washington starter, Jake Irvin, retired the first four Reds' batters before Joey Votto deposited his 12th home run of the season into the left field stands to cut the Nationals' lead to 4-1. Irvin lost his control walking Tyler Stephenson, who was forced at second and Will Benson. Stuart Fairchild delivered a two-out RBI single making it 4-2.

TJ Friedl homered for the second straight day. His 10th home run made it a one-run game. 

Richardson retired seven of the last nine batters he faced with two walks. He pitched three innings, allowing four runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

"It was unfortunate way to start the game and major league career," David Bell said. "He has a long one ahead of him and just the way he was able to keep pitching and hold it together for three innings, really says a lot about him. It is a tough way to start, I mean, you get off to a rough start like that in your debut. We've seen guys back away. We've known that about Lyon. He was given an opportunity there to demonstrate who he is and why he's going to be so good."

Buck Farmer walked Alex Call with one out in the fourth. The .207 hitter walked for the fourth time in the series. Abrams singled Call to third but he was caught stealing home on the back end of a double steal when Stephenson's through was returned by Matt McLain. Thomas doubled to score Abrams to build the Nationals' lead to 5-3. Farmer left in favor of Sam Moll after walking the bases loaded. Moll got Dominic Smith to roll over a 2-0 pitch to McLain to end the threat.

Moll, Fernando Cruz, and Alex Young kept the Reds off the scoreboard until Young felt some discomfort and left the game with a runner on first and no outs with a 3-2 count to Call. Lucas Sims came into the game. He completed the strikeout of Call. Abrams hit his second double of the game. Stone Garrett, who walked against Young to open the inning was running and De la Cruz faked him into thinking the ball was in the infield and stopped at third. Thomas hit a fly to deep right, scoring Garrett to push the lead back to 6-3.

Kyle Finnegan, who had allowed just two earned runs in his last 24 2/3 innings (0.83) came into to finish all three games of the series, earning a save on Friday. Stephenson and Senzel singled with one out bringing the tying run to the plate but Spencer Steer struck out and Fairchild lined out to right.

The Reds had a six-game losing streak from April 18 - 23. They responded with a five game winning streak. They had another six game losing streak from the last game before the All-Star break through the first five after the break. They also followed it with a five game winning streak.

"We're playing to be there in the end," Bell said. "We're not playing for one week. We're not playing for two or three days. Having said that every single game matters an incredible amount to each and every person on our team. We have to continue to keep it in perspective."

Milwaukee lost to Pittsburgh  4-1 on Sunday. The Reds stay 1 1/2 games behind the Brewers. The Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-4 to move into a tie with the Reds.

Reds Beaten In All Phases By Washington Nationals Fifth Straight Defeat

The angry Washington Nationals won their 10th game in the last 15 in a 7-3 win over the Reds. The Reds swept the Nationals in Washington last month. Former Red Dave Martinez and his crew did not take kindly to it.

The mastery of all three phases of the game eluded the Reds the first half of the game. The usually pinpoint command by left hander Andrew Abbott was absent. He walked five batters in the first four innings, the Reds made two fielding errors. Joan Aldon, who was recalled from Rochester to make this start struck out six of the first 12 Reds' batters in four perfect innings.

"Andrew Abbott has had a great start to his career," David Bell said. "He is going to go threw these things. He's going to make adjustments in the game. He's already shown that. He was walking guys early, really feeling for it. Then he went on and gave us everything he had. Unfortunately, you have to have games like that to get better."

The five-game losing streak doesn't concern Bell, who signed a contract extension last week through 2026.

"There is zero concern about this team," Bell said. "You just play hard and do it together and it turns around. Our team is continuing to do that. The results haven't been there the last five days. It tests you for sure. With who we have on this team, there is no concern."

Adon, who was 1-12 last season, took the place of Mason Thompson. He logged five innings in two start allowing three runs.

Abbott gutted out 5 2/3 innings without his good command. The five walks accompanied by nine hits allowed the Nationals to score six runs off the rookie. He tried to complete six and got two quick outs in his last inning but doubles by Joey Meneses and Keibert Ruiz ended his stint.

"It was one of those days in baseball when you don't have it," Abbott said. "Just realizing that I wasn't hitting spots, wasn't getting ahead of guys. I kind of switched modes from trying to dominate to trying to get the bullpen a little break."

The first 17 Reds went down before Luke Maile singled to break the spell. Elly De la Cruz scorched a ball off Adon's glove that trickled by for an infield single. TJ Friedl cut the Nationals' lead in half with his ninth home run.

"Andon was really deceptive," Friedl said. "He hides the ball for a long time, so you have a little less time to pick it up. It makes it hard to see and to make adjustments."

"From what I could see he (Andon) was attacking the zone, keeping us on the defensive," Bell said. "We didn't have a walk until late in the game. That's been part of our game, to go deep in the counts and get on base any way we can."

Back-to-back doubles by Riley Adams and Ildemaro Vargas off Daniel Duarte pushed the Reds out of  "slam" range. Votto due up fourth in the bottom of the ninth has twice hit walk-off grand slams against the Nationals. 

Kyle Finnegan retired the Reds in a scoreless ninth.

Lane Thomas Hit Two Home Runs To Push The Nationals To An Extra Inning Win Over The Reds

 

Lane Thomas hit two home runs to lead the Washington Nationals to a 6-3 win over the Reds in 10 innings. 

Jake Alu doubled in the 10th inning off Alexis Diaz to score Ildemaro Vargas, the automatic runner. Alex Call bunted Alu to third. Diaz struck out CJ Abrams. Thomas hit his second home run to put the Nationals in command. It was his 18th of the season.

"It is what we asked him (Alexis Diaz) to do," David Bell said. "It was very difficult. He pitched the ninth. He goes back out for the 10th with a runner on. The top of their order comes around, who is swinging the bat really well. We felt good about Alexis going back but that's a lot to ask."

The Reds had a chance to win in the ninth.

Joey Votto opened the ninth with a walk off Jose Ferrer. TJ Friedl ran for the designated hitter. Will Benson flied out to right on a 3-1 pitch. Tyler Stephenson took a pitch and Friedl stole second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Dave Martinez walked Stephenson intentionally. Andres Machado relieved Ferrer with Stuart Fairchild due up. Friedl stole third with Stephenson, holding. Fairchild struck out swinging bringing De la Cruz to the plate. He was walked intentionally. Nick Senzel came to the plate with the bases loaded. Senzel popped up to the second baseman.

There were a couple chances in which Jake Fraley, normally would have been sent to pinch hit and wasn't, including for Fairchild and Senzel in the ninth inning when the Nationals went to a right handed reliever.

"Jake (Fraley) was unavailable," Bell said. "We will have more information on Jake tomorrow."

The Reds didn't get many hits but Senzel, McLain and De la Cruz hit solo home runs to back Graham Ashcraft. 

Senzel hit his ninth off Nationals' starter Patrick Corbin in the first inning. McLain hit his 12th as the next man up. De la Cruz lined his ninth into the leftfield stands. It was his first home run as a right handed hitter.

Ashcraft  allowed just two singles in five innings until Lane Thomas hit his 17th home run, one out into the sixth.

"A lot of things happened today," Bell said. "Graham obviously put us in a really good position to win a ballgame. That's a positive the way he's been pitching is really important to our team."

Corbin pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and a walk but Amos Willingham relieved him after Joey Votto grounded out, the lone left handed hitter in the Reds' lineup.

Ashcraft was rolling into the eighth inning. He got the first two batters out. Thomas hit a slow roller up the first base line. Ashcraft fielded it but threw wide. Thomas got credit for an infield hit. Joey Meneses, who had the Nationals first hit in the fourth, hit his ninth home run of the season to tie the game.

Ashcraft pitched eight innings, allowing three runs on five hits, two walks and a hit batter.

"Those guys capitalized on mistakes," Ashcraft said. "Both of the home runs were sliders. The one to Thomas was a spinner. It didn't move. The one to Meneses was a decent pitch. It was down and away. He got extended on it."