Reds Make Roster Moves

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Matt McLain and RHP Zack McCambley were recalled for Louisville today.

Edwin Arroyo and Chase Petty were optioned to Louisville.

 McLain has played five rehab games at Louisville. He had five hits, including two doubles in 17 at bats.

McCambley has 13 games at Louisville with a 3-0 record and 3.22 ERA. With the Reds he apoeared in four games with a 6.23 ERA, allowing three runs on six hits and five walks in 4 1-3 innings. 

Arroyo in his first tour in the Major Leagues played in 44 games, hitting .244 with two doubles and a triple.

Petty allowed four earned runs over 7 1/3 innings in his last five games. He is 1-2 in 15 appearances, two starts with a 4.50 ERA overall at the big league level.

Guardians Take Ohio Cup Kyle Mazardo Wins Most Outstanding Player

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Dateline: Cincinnati  or.

Aided and abetted by shoddy Reds fielding the Cleveland Guardians parlayed an error, a tainted hit and two bases loaded walks into a 6-1 win to take the series and the coveted Ohio Cup.

It snapped the Reds string of three series wins by dropping two of three games to the cross state rivals and four of six on the season.

Brady Singer didn't make it out of the fifth inning breaking a streak of three games in which he pitched into the seventh inning.

"The pitch count was obviously rising," Singer said. "The fourth inning we had a quick inning there. I tried to get through the sixth to help the bullpen out. I wasn't able to do that. I couldn't find the strike zone there. It is obviously very frustrating."

Singer gutted through four innings. He stranded one base runner in the first inning, two in the second and three in the third before he retired the side in order in the fourth inning.

Shoddy defense by the Reds led to four runs in the fifth innint. Elly De La Cruz let Steven Kwan's ground ball crawl up his arm for an error. Jose Ramirez hit a ground ball at De La Cruz it was a possible double play but should have been at least one out. Edwin Arroyo took a soft flip from De La Cruz and Kwan beat it. Ramirez got credit for a tainted hit. Singer walked Chase DeLauter to load the bases with no outs. Travis Bazzana singled sharply to left to score Ramirez and keep the bases loaded. Singer struck out Brayan Rocchio for the first out but walked Kyle Manzardo and Gabriel Arias for two more runs. 

"It was a tough way to start the inning. We get a ground ball to Elly and we don't convert. Then we get the ground ball to Elly,I think Arroyo thought Elly was going to take it himself, so he kind of veered off." Terry Francona said. "At the end of the inning we couldn't find the strike zone."

Arroyo played almost exclusively shortstop until this season.

"Sometimes the game is going fast. The game has been coming at him quickly. I think it's been good for him. He's not the finished product," Francona said. "Hopefully, this will help him. You want to coach but you don't want to beat them over the head. That doesn't do them any good."

Caleb Ferguson replaced Singer. Patrick Bailey flied out to deep right to make it 4-0 and Petey Halpin grounded out. The Guardians scored four runs and sent nine batters to the plate on one hit.

The Reds have walked in 21 runs this season, the most since at least 1961.

Singer pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs, two earned on six hits an four costly walks. He struck out just two.

Joey Cantillo allowed four hits in four innings and walked one but kept the Reds off the scoreboard. 

Colin Holderman pitched a 1-2-3 fifth.

Chase Petty pitched around more shoddy defense in the sixth inning. Ramirea dumped a single to left and Ivan Johnson' through got away from De La Cruz for a two-base throwing error. Petty walked DeLauter but struck out Bazzana and retired Rocchio on a ground ball to first base.

The Reds scored in the sixth against Franco Aleman. Dane Myers was hit with a pitch. Eugenio Suarez struck out but Tyler Stephenson and Noelvi Marte singled to score Myers.

Erik Sabrowski struck out Johnson and Arroyo to keep the score where it was.

Kyle Manzardo hit his 13th home run of the season and fourth against the Reds this season to get the run back. Arias followed with a double and Halpin singled to left to put runners on first and third with one out. He drove in nine runs in the six game intrastate series.

Julian Garcia relieved Petty. He allowed a sacrifice fly by Kwan before closing the inning.

Brady Singer Seven Innings Again?

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Brady Singer hopes to keep his streak alive for working into the seventh inning. If he does againt the Cleveland Guardians it will be his fourth straight game.

His 3-9 4.53 ERA is not reflective of his most recent of his 20 outings on the season. He won his last two decisions and was one out away from pitching seven full innings against the Seattle Mariner on July 22. 

Singer is 3-4 with a 5.18 ERA against the Guardians in 15 starts, lifetime. He started against them on May 17 in Cleveland and was on the losing end of a 10-3 decision. Singer allowed five runs in four innings on seven hits, that included three home runs, one by Chase DeLauter and two by Kyle Manzardo.

His mound opponent is left hander, Joey Cantillo, 8-6 4.02 ERA. He was the 16th round pick of the San Diego Padres out of Kailua High School in Hawaii in 2016. He was traded to the Guardians along with teammates, Gabriel Aria and Austin Hedges for Mike Clevenger and Greg Allen.

Cantillo has four appearances, three starts against the Reds with no  record and a 6.75 ERA. His last start against the Reds was on May 6. He allowed four runs in five innings on four hits and four walks. Dane Myers hit a home run.

Dane Myers Plucked Petey Halpin's Two Out Drive At The Wall To Save Reds

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

JJ Bleday hit his 18th home run to start the scoring with two outs in the first inning. The Reds bullpen kept the Cleveland Guardians silent to win the second game of the day/night double header, 2-0.

Opener Caleb Ferguson retired the Guardians in order in the first but walked Rhys Hoskins to open the second. Travis Bazzana singled to put runners at the corner with one out. Ferguson struck out Gabrial Arias then turned the ball over to Julian Garcia, who retired Austin Hedges on a ground out to second baseman, Ivan Johnson.

The Reds added a run in the fifth inning. Dane Myers walked to open the inning. He stole second. Ivan Johnson dumped a flare in front of Steven Kwan for his first big league hit. A slow ground ball by Jose Trevino moved the runners up. Gavin Williams threw a wild pitch to score Myers.

Jose Franco entered the game in the fourth inning. He walked Brayan Rocchio to start his stint. He struck out Bazzana but Austin Hedges singled Franco retired the next nine batters but had to leave with a 2-1 count to Halpin with right elbow discomfort. Tejay Antone picked him up with two outs and the bases empty.

"We caught a break. If that happened to Franco earlier, I really don't know what we'd have done," Terry Francona said. "He got us to a point where Tejay (Antone) could take it and get us through the eighth. If that ball goes out (Chase) Petty was the only one available, and he didn't need to be pitching."

Halpin walked. It was charged to Franco but Kwan flied out routinely to left. Franco pitched 3 2/3 innings and earned his first Major League win. He allowed one hit and a walk.

"I worked very hard for that one," Franco said through interpreter Tomas Vera. "Tomorrow, we're going to know. It was super frustrating because I felt great. I think I can help the team. It was a little scary. I felt some sharp pain."

Williams pitched eight innings and tied his career-high with 12 strikeouts. It was the fourth straight game in which he struck out 11 or more. He allowed just three hits and walked one.

Antone was set to face Jose Ramirez, Chase DeLauter and Kyle Manzardo in the eighth inning. Ramirez struck out. DeLauter struck out swinging. Ahtone hit Manzardo with a pitch but goe Rocchio to fly out to center. 

Emilio Pagan entered in the ninth to protect the two-run lead.

He struck out Bazzana on a checked swing. Gabriel Arias singled to left to bring the tying run to the plate. Pinch hitter Patrick Bailey struck out. Myers caught Halpin's long drive at the fence to end the game.  Pagan got his 11th save of the season in 14 chances.

"I think he would be a pretty good corner back, defensive backs. I've seen a lot of good ones and been doing this a long time. He is one of the best I've seen, keeping his speed to the wall. He sees contact," Terry Francona said.

After a game in Chicago in which Myers dropped a ball at the wall, he told Pagan that he wanted to make a play like that for you.

"He had the opportunity and he did it," Pagan said. "Honesty when he hit it I thought how did he hit that ball so good. It was up and away and that's my strength. He put a good swing on it but it was a better catch. He is one of the toughest people I know."

"About halfway through I was looking at Marte and he was looking at me. Once we made eye conatact, I figured it was probably my ball," Myers said. "Running into the wall is not in my mind in that situation in the game. I would say a little more free safety but I'm glad Tito compared me that way. It is the will to go get it. If I have to go into the wall that late in the game."

Jose Ramirez Rallies Guardians Over Reds

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Jose Ramirez started the Cleveland Guardians off with a key hit that fueled a four-run first in the Guardians 6-5 win over the Reds. He stole two bases when the Reds took a brief lead that set up Cleveland for the win.

It was the makeup of the rained out game on Tuesday night.

Nothing went right for Reds' All-Star Chase Burns in the first inning.

Jose Ramirez hit a sharp single to right field with one out. Edwin Arroyo booted on a ground ball to second base by Chase DeLauter. Travis Bazzana was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Alfonzo Marquez on a 3-2 pitch. Bazzana challenged and walked on the overturned call. Bryan Rocchio flied out to shallow center. It would have ended the inning if not for the error. Burns got ahead of Kyle Manzardo 0-2. Marquez ruled Manzardo was hit with a 1-2 pitch which would have forced home a run but the Reds challenged and the call was overturned. Manzardo hit the next pitch to the net on the right field bullpen. It was 4-0 on two hits. None of the runs were earned.

"You get a call. You think the guy got hit. He doesn't. The next thing you know they score, four. I don't think he had a good feel for his slider. Even warmup he bounced three of them. To his credit he reeled himself back in. It looked like he wasn't going to stay out there very long. Getting five (innings) was a lot better than getting three," Terry Francona said.

Slade Cecconi pitched two scoreless innings. Elley De La Cruz singled to left center but was thrown out at second by Petey Halpin. Sal Stewart blasted his 22nd home run of the season to put the Reds on the scoreboard.

The Reds took control in the fourth against Cecconi. Nathaniel Lowe led off with a double. Tyler Stephenson was called out on strikes but challenged to get the call overturned. He doubled home Lowe on the next pitch. Dane Myers grounded out. Edwin Arroyo scored. Stephenson with a ground single up the middle. TJ Friedl popped out and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt brought in left hander Tim Herrin to turn De La Cruz around to the right side. De La Cruz beat out the ground ball to Bazzana. The count went to 3-2 on Stewart and he singled to left. De La Cruz scored from first behind Arroyo to put the Reds ahead, 5-4.

Stewart had two hits and walked twice in the game and drove in three run to give him 79 RBI for the season. He is three behind Major League leader, CJ Abrams."

"I know he relishes being in that moment," Francona said. "He's a good hitter. I would too if I was that good. He is very competitive."

Burns settled in and pitched four scoreless innings. Ramirez singled with one out in the sixth. He stole second and third to put himself in position to score on DeLauter's sacrifice fly to left, the first earned run allowed by Burns.

"It is what he does," said Francona, who managed Ramirez in Cleveland. "You've heard me rave on him a hundred times. That's where Chase started thinking about the hitter instead of the runner."

Burns pitched five innings, allowed five runs, one earned on five hits and two walks. He struck out four.

"I just thought I had to get through it. It sucked the calls went that way," Burns said. 

Burns dropped his ERA from 2.42 to 2.40 fourth lowest in baseball.

Brock Burke made his 54th appearance a scoreless one.

Franco Aleman struck out five of the six Reds' batters he faced.

Pierce Johnson pitched a 1-2-3 seventh.

The Guardians took the lead against Sam Moll in the eighth inning. DeLauter singled and went to third on Bazzana's single. Rocchio bunted on Moll for the tie breaking run.

The Reds put two runners on base against Hunter Gaddis but he maintained the lead by striking out Arroyo.

Chase Petty took the mound for the Reds in the ninth.

Stewart walked against Cade Smith with two outs but Angel Martinez made a diving catch of JJ Bleday's sinking line drive to save his major-league high 30th game.

Caleb Ferguson will start the second game for the Reds. They added Jose Franco as their 27th man for the double header.

Reds Guardians Game Rained Out

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Reds and Guardians game has been postponed due to rain after 38 minute wait.

The teams will meet in a day/night double header on Tuesday. Game one will start at 1:40 pm. Game two will be at 7:10 pm.

Chase Burns Will Pitch Against Cleveland For The First Time

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Chase Burns will put his 12-1 record with a 2.42 ERA, good for the fourth spot in Major League Baseball on the line against the Cleveland Guardians. He is one game behind Christopher Sanchez, who has 13 wins.

Burns has won 11 straight decisions, including his last start against the Seattle Mariners on July 21. He pitched five scoreless innings on three hits and two walks. He struck out six. 

In 16 of his 19 starts, Burns allowed two runs or fewer. He has 191 strikeouts in his brief career. Burns was named to the National League All-Star team but did not pitch, sighting tightness in his groin.

Burns signed a seven-year contract extension on July 18.

He has never faced Cleveland.

The Guardians send 27-year old right hander Slade Cecconi to the mound to face off against Burns.

He is 4-7 with a 4.60 ERA in 20 starts this season. Cecconi allowed 11 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings over in his last three starts.

Cecconi was the Arizona Diamondbacks first pick in the 2020 draft out of the University of Miami in Florida. The Guardians traded Josh Naylor to get his services after the 2024 season.

He is 0-3 with a 4.05 ERA against the Reds in five starts. His last start against the Reds was on June 10 last season. He pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk. He struck out eight.

Reds Lineup:

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart 1B

JJ Bleday RF

Eugenio Suarez 3B

Nathaniel Lowe DH

Tyler Stephenson C

Dane Myers CF

Edwin Arroyo 2B 

TJ Friedl LF

Guardians Lineup:

Steven Kwan LF

Jose Ramirez DH

Chase DeLauter RF

Travis Bazzana 2B

Brayan Rocchio SS

Kyle Manzardo 1B

Gabrieal Arias 3B

Patrick Bailey C

Petey Halpin CF

Spencer Steer On IL Ivan Johnson Returns

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds placed infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list with a partial tear on a the sheath holding the tendon on his right wrist. 

He is wearing a brace to immobilize it. Steer is hoping that rest will heal it. "That's the hope," Steer said. "I hope that my body will heal itself. We will try that first. If we aren't getting the results that we need then I'll get it operated on. If I do, I will be out for the season."

Steer was 0-for-16 in his last five games but has hit some big home runs and his versatility in the field has been valuable.

Steer felt something in his second at bat on Sunday. "I didn't think much of it but on my next at bat I couldn't do it." Steer said.

"He plays bangeed up. There are a lot of things he plays with that he doesn't necessarily talks about. When he didn't fight me to come out of the game, I got kind of nervous," Terry Francona said.

"Even yesterday, when he came out of the game, our options were severely limited. He is so valuable," Francona said.

Ivan Johnson was sent back when Dane Myers came off the injured list. Johnson had no hits in five at bats with a walk and a strikeout. 

He is hitting .278 with eight doubles and 10 home runs in 61 games at Louisville. As a switch hitter he adds versatility off the bench.

Reds Homecoming On The Pace They Need

        

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds were on the road for 10 days after the All-Star break. On Sunday (072626), the Reds won their third series on the road with an extra inning 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Andrew Abbott started for the Reds and kept the Reds in the game.

 

The Cardinals took a lead in the second inning. Alex Burleson doubled to lead off the inning. Masyn Winn single to center to send Burleson to third. Jose Fermin drove in the run with a fly out to left.

Converted reliever Kyle Leahy allowed Elly De La Cruz’ 18th home run the opposite field to tie the game.

Ivan Herrera hit his 12th home run with two outs to reclaim the lead. 

Ke’Bryan Hayes, who has struggled at the plate all year, hit his third home run in the fifth. Hayes, a Gold Glove third baseman, is hitting .148. His last home run was on May 4 against the Chicago Cubs. A back injury was partially to blame for the struggles.

His glove kept the game tied by starting a double play after a diving stop in the bottom of the inning off a hard ground ball by Herrera.

The play was instrumental in Abbott lasting another inning to set up the Reds bullpen to finish the game.

Abbott allowed two runs on three hits but also walked four. He struck out four. The left hander has nine quality starts among his 22 starts this season. He and Chase Burns lead the team with nine quality starts.

Pierce Johnson walked a batter in a scoreless seventh. 

Tejay Antone retired the first two batters in the eighth. Burleson and Winn singled again. Jose Fermin reached on catchers interference, loading the bases.

Brock Burke stranded all three runners getting Lars Nootbaar out on a foul fly to left. He has stranded 20 of the 26 runners inherited this season.

George Soriano gave up a two out single to Noelvi Marte but struck out Tyler Stephenson batting for Jose Trevino.

Burke retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Jimmy Crooks and JJ Wetherholt.

Stephenson became the ghost runner in the 10th. He went to third on a wild pitch with no outs as pinch hitter Sal Stewart, who was given a day off. Stewart gave the Reds their first lead of the game with a single driving in his  76th run of the season

Stewart is six behind CJ Abrams, who leads MLB. He is one behind the Cardinals Jordan Walker and Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez.

De La Cruz singled. Edwin Arroyo, who replaced Spencer Steer after a wrist injury, bunted the runners into scoring position. Cardinals’ manager Oliver Mormol replaced Matt Svanson with left hander Justin Bruihl to face left hander JJ Bleday. Mormol walked Eugenio Suarez to match up Bruihl with left handed batter Nathaniel Lowe. Lowe single to give the Reds a two-run cushion. 

Emilio Pagan was warming in the ninth but he worked in three of the last four games, after returning from a hamstring injury.

Instead Terry Francona chose 31-year old rookie Julian Garcia to close the game. He retired the dangerous Walker  on a ground out as ghost runner Wetherholt held. Herrera singled to put runners at first and third. Burleson’s third hit scored Wetherholt and put the tying runs on base. Garcia struck out Winn and retired Fermin on a fly out to left. 

Garcia got credit for his first Major League win on Friday and added his first save on Sunday.

He is the 12th Reds pitcher to earn a save this season. 

Cardinals Ruffle Hunter’s Feathers

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Hunter Greene was in his way to his third straight quality start if not his third straight win whenh the St. Louis Cardinals flew out of the bushes and flocked together for six runs to post a 7-0 win.

The Cardinals put up an unearned run in the first inning. An error by Elly De La Cruz and singles by Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson plated JJ Wetherholt to start the Reds in a hole.

 Andre Pallante stifled the Reds on two hits and walk while the Cardinals mustered some sixth inning offense.

It started as so many rallies do with a free pass to Wetherholt. The dangerous Walker popped out to the catcher but the dam was about to bust.

Burleson singled. Ivan Herrera doubled them both home with a line drive into the left field corner.

Tyler Stephenson missed a challenge on a 3-2 pitch to Lars Nootbaar and that keyed the rest of the inning.

Masyn Winn singled to load the bases. Bryan Torres singled home the fourth run. Blaze Jordan’s high chop blundered into right field to score two more.  Sam Moll came out of the bullpen. Nathan Church squeezed home the sixth run of the inning.

It was the same MO that St. Louis used the last time Moll faced them. They bunted on him twice to break a game open.

Greene’s line was ugly after a good solid five-inning stint. He lasted 5 1/3 allowing seven runs, six earned on eight hits and two walks. He struck out three. Five hits and both walks were in the disastrous sixth inning.

Pallante pitched seven innings and gave up two harmless singles. He has handled the Reds before. He is 8-4 with a 2.18 ERA against the Reds in 21 appearances, including 11 starts.

The Reds have clinched a winning record on this nine-game road trip but really need to take the series on Sunday (072526).