Cooper Platt Drives In Four Runs And Ruins Eugenio Suarez First Home Run As A Citizen

      

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Milwaukee Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt drove in four runs with a ground out and a triple to send the Brewers to a 10-7 win over the Reds.

Brice Turang had three hits, including a two-run double to seal the Reds fate. 

It spoiled a triumphant return for Eugenio Suarez in his return from the naturalization process that made him a US citizen.

The Reds jumped to a one-run lead in the first inning against Shane Drohan.

Dane Myers beat out an infield hit and stole second. Elly De La Cruz grounded a single up the middle to score Myers.

The Brewers took the lead against Rhett Lowder in the second inning. Brice Turang singled and stopped at third on Garrett Mitchell's double. Cooper Pratt's ground out scored Turang. David Hamilton followed with a triple but Myers robbed Sal Frelick of his fifth home run. 

Eugenio Suarez came to bat for the first time since he became a US citizen to Lee Greenwood's, God Bless the USA, as his walkup song. Saurez walked and scored on Matt McLain's 14th home run of the season.

The Brewers took the lead right back off Lowder.

Jake Bauers walked for the second time. Jackson Chourio forced him at second. Christian Yelich grounded out to first as Chourio was running on the pitch. Turang second hit of the game was a two-run double off the right field wall.

De La Cruz singled and Tyler Stephenson walked to put two men on in front of Suarez, who launched his 21st home run of the season to put the Reds up by two runs. It was his 210th home run as a Red which tied Ken Griffey Jr. for ninth on the Reds list.

The Brewers loaded the bases against Lowder in the fifth. Chourio singled and Yelich walked. De La Cruz botted a double play ball from William Contreras.  

“A big play," Terry Francona said. "We get a grounder to short. We got a chance to have two outs and a runner on third. I went back and looked at it a couple of times. It went right between Contreras’ legs. I don’t know if it snuck up on Elly after that - unfortunate.” 

Terry Francona went to left hander Sam Moll to try to escape the inning. Moll hit Turang with a 3-2 pitch. Moll struck out pinch hitter Luis Lara looking on a 3-2 pitch which was challenged but was upheld. Pratt tripled inside the third base bag to put the Brewers back in the lead. Pratt scored on a wild pitch to give them a 9-6 lead.

“Four walks and six hits in four innings. That’s a lot of traffic. Sam came in and didn’t walk anybody but just wasn’t throwing it where he wanted to. Early on, it looked good. They scored, we’d come back. Their bullpen stopped us and ours didn’t stop them," Francona said.”

Lowder finished with four plus innings, allowing seven runs, six earned. He gave up six hits and walked four with two strikeouts.

“What stems from that is two-strike execution that led to some walks and it led to some hits and some runs. I left some balls over the plate. I just expanded too much and got into some bad counts, which led to some walks,” Lowder said. “The offense was doing their job and I just gave it right back. I tried to get myself in position, I felt like I got in position to do it. I was one pitch away and didn’t make that pitch and they capitalized on it in back-to-back innings.”

The Brewers added a run against Luis Mey on a two-out RBI double by Contreras. 

Sal Stewart who was named the Rookie of the Month for August singled to drive in the Reds seventh run to extend his major league lead to 106. He has already set the Reds rookie record and has the highest total for a rookie since, Pete Alonso, from the New York Mets drove in 120 in 2019.

Trevor Megill pitched a scoreless ninth for his 26th save in 28 attempts.

The Brewers need only 10 wins in the last 20 games to establish a franchise record for the third year in a row.

Carlos Jorge flied out to left in his first major league at bat.

Reds Select Contract Of Another Star Prospect.

      

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds selected the contract of  Carlos Jorge from Triple A Louisville on Friday (090326).

Ivan Johnson was optioned to Louisville and the Reds placed Michael Toglia on the 60-injured list with a separated right shoulder.

Jorge is a speedy left handed hitter, who is 5'9" and a 22-year old native of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

He was in Dayton last year and slashed .251/.342/.355 with 16 doubles, four triples, six home runs and 37 RBI in 110 games. He stole 40 bases in 47 attempts.

After an impressing spring in Goodyear, Jorge, went to Chattanooga for 59 games, slashing .330/.402/.452 with four doubles, three triples, six home runs and 32 RBI. He stole 23 bases in 27 attempts. 

Jorge was promoted to Louisville for 29 games, .263/.323/.377 with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 11 RBI. He was 10 for 11 in stolen bases.

Terry Francona pointed him out after watching him perform at the end of games in Goodyear this spring.

"Nothing was given to him. He just kind of played his ass off," Francona said. "He will play center field against the righties. I think a lot we wanted to get him here now. You want to win every game you can but you also try to set yourself up for next year. I saw energy. His energy is off the charts which is good. He is a highlight center fielder. There are some ambitious mistakes. That's ok. You'd rather have it that way. We're looking forward to knowing him."

Jorge made strides this season.

"I'm excited to be here, to get the opportunity to prove myself," Jorge said. "I know we are at the end of the season. I will try to do my best. Tito watched me play in spring. That was good. Last year I didn't think I would be here. I won't stop learning and keep working hard."

"Offensively, I am better at controlling the strike zone and using the whole field. I'm going to be an energy guy. I going to cheer for my team like I hope they will cheer for me. I feel like I'm family here there are guys that I played with. At the end of the day we are family. I'm a speedy guy. My job is to be on base for the guys," Jorge said.

Reds Rookies Punish Padres

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Juan Brito hit his first major league home run and fellow rookie, Hector Rodriguez belted his fifth both in the fourth inning to help the Reds to a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

"We got offense, some of it from the bottom of the order," Terry Francona said. "I thought we played a good game. I thought we played a good all around game."

The Reds won their second series in a row against contenders for the playoffs. The Padres started the game with a half game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third wild card spot.

Rodriguez has five home runs in his last 10 games. 

"I think we're starting to see him," Francona said. "When he first got here. He tried to do too much. It happens a lot. He's ultra aggressive and has always been like that his whole career. When he swings at strikes you see what he can do. His hands are extraordinary."

Brandon Williamson made his seventh start of the season and first since April 30, returning from shoulder fatigue.m

It didn't start as well as he wished. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. opened with a single to center. Williamson got the next two outs but former Red, Ty France hit his 20th home run to put the Padres up. The ball hit the top of the wall but bounced over the wall.

Austin Hays, another former Red, doubled off Sal Stewart's glove at first base and Tatis Jr. drove him in with a ground single to center.

JJ Bleday saved the Reds from more damage making a running catch of Jackson Merrill's attempt at an extra base hit.

The Reds took control in the bottom of the second against Casey Mize. 

Tyler Stephenson walked and Dane Myers followed with a single. Juan Brito reached the right field seats with his first major league home run to tie the game. Brito is not known for power but he did hit 21 in a full season at Triple A Columbus in the Cleveland Guardians organization in 2024. Hector Rodriguez hit his fifth home run and first at Great American Ball Park to put the Reds on top.

"It was something that you're looking for," Brito said through interpreter Tomas Vera. "When it happens you have fun."

Brito had to recover from some injuries in 2025. He hit 11 this season between Columbus and Louisville.

"I had a hand injury last year," Brito said. "It took me away for a couple months. When I was ready to come back, I had the hamstring injuries. That took a lot from me."

Part of the good all around game was the infield play. Brito and McLain turned a double play and followed it up with a nice recovery when the ball bounced off Williamson. Edwin Arroyo made a tough play on France look easy in the eighth.

"Brito came as advertised," Francona said. "He knows how to play and plays the way he's supposed to. I thought Arroyo made a nice play. He made a long throw that had plenty of carry on it."

Williamson rallied and pitched into the sixth inning. He retired eight straight until he walked France to start the inning. Xander Bogaerts ran out an infield hit but Williamson struck out Ethan Salas, making his first big league appearance as the Padres starting catcher. He is just 20 years old. 

"Willie gave up that home run in the first and it really wasn't hit that, you know. It was 94 MPH off the bat. After that he kind of kept them off. He had a good cutter, a change up. He stayed out there for 90 something pitches," Francona said.

Pierce Johnson relieved Williamson and got the final two outs.

"I felt good pretty much from the jump," Williamson said. "Any time you can pitch in the majors it's a big deal. I think there may be a little more sense of urgency but I know what I can do. My arm feels good. We're playing playoff teams but if you're a big leaguer, you have to believe you can face anyone who is in the box, no matter what uniform they wear."

Williamson pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five.

He picked up the win on his daughter's birthday. 

"I'd like to shout out some guys from Arizona. Erick Gonzalez helped get me here for sure. I didn't do it on my own. My wife and kids were with me," Williamson said.

Matt McLain drove in an insurance run with a bases loaded sacrifice fly. Bleday started the inning with a bunt single. Dane Myers singled up the middle off David Morgan. Brito walked to load the bases. 

Tejay Antone walked Jake Cronenworth to start the seventh but he struck out Tatis Jr. on a 3-2 pitch. Stephenson completed the double play catching Cronenworth stealing.

Elly De La Cruz collected his second single of the game off Sycamore High School grad, Kyle Hart. The Padres turned to Jhony Brito. Bleday set an new career high with his 22nd home run 416 ft. into the right field stands to double the Reds' lead.

Bleday, who hit for the cycle on August 22, is a triple short of repeating the feat. 

Tony Santillan pitched a scoreless eighth.

Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect 14-pitch inning in a non-save situation.

Reds Late Rally Evens Series with San Diego

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Jose Trevino spoiled the San Diego Padres strategy with a bases loaded single and new comer Juan Brito delivered what proved to be the winning run with a sacrifice fly to take down the San Diego Padres, 4-3 to tie the series.

San Diego manager and University of Dayton graduate intentionally walked Dane Myers against left handed pitcher Adrian Morejon with runners at second and third with one out playing for an inning ending double play but Trevino ruined the move and is 3-for-3 with the bases loaded this season.

"I don't know about career wise because I haven't been around him that much," Terry Francona said. "I just know that he can get to velocity. Their guy was throwing 98, 99. I also know that he can hit into a double play but we had Stevo (Tyler Stephenson) behind him if he didn't drive him in. He had a really good at bat and so did Brito."

Trevino has been comfortable in general.

"That Tito trust me in that situation and my teammates too," Trevino said. "You look in the dugout and you see guys, let's go, let's go. Right now in September it's tough."

"It was a really good at bat. He kind of came as advertised," Francona continued. "I saw him when he was a kid but PK (Louisville manager, Pat Kelly) talked about how he just plays the game. He does things the right way and kind of did that tonight."

The Padres spent very little time scoring against Nick Lodolo in the first inning.

Samad Taylor tripled into the left center field gap. Manny Machado, fresh off a four-hit night brought him home with a deep fly to right field. 

In the third inning, Jace Bowen led off with a triple. Fernando Tatis Jr. ground out to Brito at second with a drawn in infield. Lodolo hit Taylor with a pitch and Manny Machado walked to load the bases. Ty France hit into a double play.

"Lodolo had to fight through command early on," Francona said. "He held his stuff and his command got better. He gave us six and that was good."

Lodolo missed time with blisters on his left index finger but has changed his grip.

"I stuck with it and got out of that third there. I got through six and I've been searching for that," Lodolo said. "I am getting more comfortable with the new grip. We didn't throw it a ton tonight. I'm definitely getting more comfortable with it."

"He's put a ton of work since he came back from the IL," Trevino said. "Taking a mound visit. We're not out of the woods, yet but we could get Ty France on a ground ball. It was a clutch double play. We had Machado a good hitter, who is hot right now. Being able to pitch around him and understand that, is good."

The Reds got that right back against Randy Vasquez in the bottom half.

Hector Rodriguez started with a double. With two outs, JJ Bleday singled him home.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a line drive home run that had enough height to clear the right field wall for his 18th home run of the season in the fifth inning. 

Once again the Reds got the run back.

TJ Friedl walked with one out but was caught stealing second. The shame about it was Edwin Arroyo hit a ground rule double and was on second with two outs. Hector Rodriguez singled to tie the score. The Reds rookie has 14 hits in his last 38 at bats over his last 10 games at that point, a .368 average with eight RBI.

Lodolo pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks and two hit batters. He struck out five.

Luis Mey took over in the seventh and pitched around a walk and catcher's interference to post a scoreless inning. 

Brock Burke made his 69th appearance in the top of the eighth. 

Jackson Merrill hit a two out double. The Reds walked Xander Bogaerts intentionally. Burke struck out pinch hitter, Luis Campusano to send a tie game to the bottom of the eighth.

Adrian Morejon started the bottom of the eighth for San Diego.

Elly De La Cruz walked to lead off the inning. Sal Stewart's second hit of the game sent De La Cruz to third. Bleday bounced out to second as De La Cruz held. Stewart went to second. Matt McLain was walked intentionally to pitch to Jose Trevino, who singled to score one run. Juan Brito scored Stewart with a sacrifice fly to left. 

David Morgan replaced Morejon. Dane Myers flied out to right.

Emilio Pagan entered to try to nail down a save.

He got two quick outs on fly balls but Tatis Jr. hit his second home run of the game and 19th of the season. Pagan struck out Taylor to earn his 20th save.

Welcome My Fellow American Eugenio Suarez

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Eugenio Suarez left the team and headed to Miami, Florida to be sworn in as a United States citizen.

The Reds are fully supporting his absence for the purpose.

Was born July 18, 1991 in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

He has been in the US on visa's since 2011 after he was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 2009 and spent two seasons, playing in the Venezuela Summer League.

The Reds traded Alfredo Simon to the Tigers for Suarez in December after he played 85 games in Detroit in 2014.

Suarez played seven season for the Reds and was traded to the Seattle Mariners before the 2022 season. The Reds resigned him to a free agent contract during the winter.

Suarez is in his eighth season with the Reds and considers Cincinnati as his baseball home. He resides in Miami, Florida.

He hit his 209th home run in a Cincinnati uniform on Saturday (083026) to put him 10th on the Reds list for career home runs. His next will tie him with Ken Griffey Jr. for ninth on the list.

Ever proud on his native country, he played for the Venezuelan World Baseball Classic in 2023 and the classic this year. He had some key hits as Venezuela won the Classic in March.

He hit 49 home runs in 2019 that surpassed Miguel Cabrera for the most home runs by a Venezuelan player in Major League Baseball. It was important for him as Cabrera was his mother's favorite player.

When Nicolas Maduro took over the presidency in 2019 with a voter absentee rate of 68% that protests challenged the unfavorable person who took control of the country.

Suarez played a protest song as his walkup music was Mis Ilusiones.

Hear it here:

https://youtu.be/a6aqKkoCMrA?si=Gp9yz2LOkc2VsNpy

Suarez has been studying for the naturalization test for weeks and has been in the process for a couple years. 

The Reds fully support the popular player and team leader. 

"It is very, very cool that he is doing this," Terry Francona said. "The timing of it, if people are wondering, it is not his timing. If you can imagine when you're dealing with the government, you go when they tell you. I saw him on this last trip. He was practicing his questions. He knew them a lot better than I did. We could put him on the restricted list and I agree with Nick (Krall) and Brad (Meador) it would not be a good look."

 

Reds Activate Brandon Williamson And Recall Juan Brito

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds activated Brandon Williamson from the 60-day injured list.

The left handed starting pitcher was shut down after six starts on April 30 with shoulder fatigue. He had missed 15 months from "Tommy John" surgery in 2024 before having an good spring training and making the starting rotation.

Williamson will start on Wednesday and slot in to piggy back with Chase Burns the rest of the season.

The Reds recalled second baseman Juan Brito from Triple A Louisville. Brito came to the Reds from the Cleveland Guardians for Nathaniel Lowe.

Brito spent a little time with Terry Francona in 2022, when the Guardians traded Nolan Jones to the Colorado Rockies. His time with the Guardians was limited to minor league spring training camp.

He broke in with Cleveland earlier this year and appeared in 14 games at second base. He had nine hits in 51 at bats but four of them were doubles for a .176 average. He drove in three runs and walked four times. In the field he was charged with four errors.

"Juan's a kid. I know him a little bit," Terry Francona said. "I think it was my last year in Cleveland. He's a switch hitter. His main position is probably second but he can play third. It is two fold. Elly (De La Cruz) is dhing probably the next couple days. Also with Geno (Eugenio Suarez) becoming a citizen which we fully support. We just didn't want to be caught short. He is going to play tonight."

Brito is in the starting lineup at second base. Edwin Arroyo will start at third base. They will have three switch hitters in the lineup.

"I was in my room when my manager at Triple A (Pat Kelly) told me, Brito said through Reds' intern, Randy Escabi. "I asked him if he was sure. It is something that I've been working for. I am happy to be here."

He was at Louisville for just a couple of weeks, so the Triple A staff had a short time to evaluate him.

"I worked on my hitting and defense and I felt good," Brito said. "The coaches, the players treated me like I was a part of the organization. Terry Francona gave me a lot of motivation in Cleveland. It is something that can help players going forward. He gave me a lot of good advice."

It is a new challenge for Brito.

"I want to just have fun, work hard. It is important to give it everything I've got."

Padres String Hits Together To Torture Brady Singer

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The San Diego Padres shutout the Reds for the 15th time this season and the fifth time in August in a 5-0 win.

The Reds had chances against the Padres starter Michael King in their first three at bats with characteristically nothing to show for it.

Hector Rodriguez singled to open the bottom of the first. Elly De La Cruz was the first victim of Jackson Merrill's larceny. Sal Stewart doubled with Rodriguez stopping at third. JJ Bleday hit a ball hard but Ty France gloved it on a Sunday hop and stepped on the bag as Rodriguez held. Tyler Stephenson struck out swinging. 

 In the second inning, Eugenio Suarez was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Matt McLain singled but TJ Friedl forced McLain at second. Edwin Arroyo and Rodriguez struck out with a man on third and one out. 

The Reds came into the game dead last in Major League Baseball with a .217 batting average with runners in scoring position. They were already 0-for-4 in three innings.

The Reds put two on with two outs after Merrill scaled the fence to rob Stewart of his 32nd home run. Suarez grounded out. 

Brady Singer gave up hits in the first two innings but they didn't move. 

The Padres ambushed Singer in the fourth. Six straight hits by Manny Machado, Ty France, Merrill, Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Harris and Luis Campusano had hits with Bogaerts stinging a two-run double.

"I just tried to keep it on the plate. I didn't want to walk anyone to make things work. I was hoping they would hit one to a fielder to get a double play but they put good swings on them," Singer said.

The Padres put two on with one out in the fifth on Machado's third hit of the game and France's second to put runners on first and third. 

"I think he went through that inning and he was probably catching too much of the plate," Terry Francona said. "They got where they were going first to third. We had holes open. They used the whole field. They went first to third and he couldn't make that one pitch to get out of it."

Julian Garcia relieved Singer who pitched 4 1/3 giving up 10 hits and four runs. He didn't walk anyone and struck out five.

Garcia struck out Merrill and Bogaerts to strand both inherited base runners.

Homeplate umpire Manny Gonzalez was removed from the game with heat exhaustion. The game was finished with three umpires.

Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled off Pierce Johnson in the seventh. France drove him in with his third single of the game. 

Lefthander Kyle Hart a Cincinnati native and Sycamore High School grad relieved King in the seventh inning.

Tony Santillan came in from the bullpen to start the eighth.

Elly De La Cruz OK Reds To Bring Back Brandon Williamson Six Starters For Five Turns

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Elly De La Cruz is going to play with a strained quad. The Reds had him examined this morning. According to Terry Francona, the medical staff thinks it is mild enough that he can play through it.

"Elly is a throwback. He truly wants to play every inning of every game," Francona said. "We told him he had to promise to tell us if it got any worse. He has played through much worse. I think he'll be ok."

The Reds are also putting a governor on Chase Burns, who is scheduled to start on Saturday (090526). 

Brandon Williamson will be activated from the 60-day injured list once the rosters expand. Williamson had a really good spring after surgery and not pitching for 15 months but on April 30th after making six starts with left shoulder fatigue. He was 2-3 with a 6.11 ERA when he went down.

Coming out of spring training the Reds had Burns who had never pitched more than 109 innings. Rhett Lowder missed all of 2025. Hunter Greene only logged 107 innings and had a hint of bone chips in his elbow.

Terry Francona and the staff they would take six starting pitchers and monitor every one but Andrew Abbott and work horse Brady Singer.

"That was exactly our plan but it didn't work," Francona said. "We have six starters in a five-man rotation."

Chase Burns Has 15 Wins 15 Is The New 20?

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The last time a Reds' rookie won 20 games, Tom Browning did it in 1985. The last time a Reds pitcher won 20 games, Johnny Cueto did it in 2014. Only one other pitcher won at least 20 games was Danny Jackson in 1988 when he won 23 games.

Chase Burns has 15 wins in 26 starts.

For perspective, Browning made 38 starts in 1985 and pitched 261 1/3 innings. Jackson made 35 starts and pitched 260 2/3 innings. Cueto made 34 starts and pitched 243 2/3 innings.

There has not been a 20-game winner in baseball since Spencer Strider did it in 2023. Since 2016 there were five seasons, not counting 2020 that have gone without a 20-game winner.

Some reasons, the modern theory of five starter as opposed to four in the a by gone era. Starting pitchers most often work six innings or fewer and rely on the bullpen when they leave with a lead.

For Burns to have 18 decision (15-3) in 26 starts is an above average number of decisions. 

The breakdown for Burns. In 26 starts he has pitched at least five innings in 25 of them. Just recently in his August 24th start in San Francisco he pitched a season low 3 2/3 innings. He has pitched into the sixth inning in six starts including Sunday night's (083026) 5 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs. He pitched six innings 10 times. He pitched a season-high seven innings twice.

Burns has just eight no decisions. He has not been a victim of a blown save all year. He has allowed a season high five runs four times that resulted in the three losses and one no decision.

In one outing he allowed three runs over five innings, so it didn't count as a quality start. In every other start he has allowed two or fewer runs.

Hector Rodriguez And Tyler Stephenson Cancel Pete Crow-Armstrong

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Pete Crow-Armstrong did it again.

As he did on Saturday, he greeted Reds starting pitcher, Chase Burns this time, with a long home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning.

This time instead of leading to a lopsidedly win, Hector Rodriguez hit a three-run home run and Tyler Stephenson cracked a two-run home run to allow the Reds to post a 7-5 win over the Chicago Cubs and take the series two games to one. 

 Burns allowed a run in the second inning too. Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and Michael Conforto singled to produce the run. 

Shota Imanaga held the Reds quiet for three innings but he is a bad fit from the Cubs perspective against the Reds.

Most of the Reds offense comes from home runs. They are next to last in baseball with a team average of .228, rank 27th with an on-base-percentage of .307 and are dead last with a .218 average with runners in scoring position. However, they are fourth in baseball with 183 home runs.

Imanaga was tied for fourth in baseball with 31 home runs allowed and now is tied with Jeffrey Springs of the Athletics with 33 after the game.

That is where rookie Hector Rodriguez came in. Rodriguez hit 27 home runs in the International League with the Louisville Bats. He was called up by the Reds on August 3 and made his first appearance on August 4.

He struggled out of the gate. He doubled for his first hit on August 7. He was 1-for-9 after three games. After 11 days his average slipped to .083. Since then, Rodriguez is hitting .324. He had three home runs in the first eight games of the road trip, when he faced Imanaga with Eugenio Suarez and Matt McLain on base with two outs in the fourth. The rookie hit an 0-1 pitch into the right field bleachers for his fourth major league home run and 31st overall.

Fielding is behind Rodriguez hitting and that led to the Cubs tying the score against Burns with a unearned run.

Happ walked and Hoerner singled to start the bottom of the inning against Burns. Pedro Ramirez flied to Rodriguez in right. Happ tagged and Rodriguez throw got away from McLain and Happ scored.

The Reds offense assaulted Imanaga in the fifth. 

Dane Myers hit his sixth home run to lead off. Elly De La Cruz beat out an infield hit and felt tightness in his left quad. He stayed in but was pulled in the bottom of the seventh. He will be examined today (083126).

Stephenson hit his 14th home run to put the Reds up 6-3. Stephenson has now hit six of them in August.

Sal Stewart hit his 31st home run of the season off Trent Thornton. Stewart is now ninth on the MLB home run list ahead of Shohei Ohtani. He leads baseball with 105 RBI. To give perspective the Reds have 359 RBI as a team. Stewart has 29% of them.

He is seven home runs behind Frank Robinson’s Reds rookie record set in 1956. 

Burns was working on his fourth scoreless inning in the sixth. De La Cruz booted Alex Bergman’s ground ball to start the inning. Happ singled but Burns struck out Howrner and Ramirez flied out. 

Manager Terry Francona brought in Brock Burke to face lefty Conforto. Cubs manager Craig Counsel countered with Tyrone Taylor to pinch hit. Taylor grounded out to De La Cruz to end the inning.

Burns pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowed three runs, two earned on six hits and a walk. He struck out seven and left with an ERA of 2.79 and a 15-3 record. 

He is one off the Major League pace for wins and ninth in ERA slightly ahead of former Red and MLB leading 16-game winner Sonny Gray.

Luis Mey gave up a run in the eighth.

Emilio Pagan got two quick out then gave up Crow-Armstrong’s 38th home run, giving him five against the Reds in the last two games of the series. He is two behind former Cub and Middletown HS grad, Kyle Schwarber.

Pagan finished the job getting Seiya Suzuki to fly out to Myers against the Ivy. This time Myers squeezed it to secure the game.

It was Pagan’s 19th save and third in a row. In his last 16 appearances he has three wins and 12 saves.