Andrew Abbott Aces Rockies To Put Reds Back On Track

 

  

Andrew Abbott shut shut down the Colorado Rockies on three hits over seven innings to put the Reds back on track with a 6-0 win over the Colorado Rockies.

It was Abbott's fourth straight win and ninth on the season.

"I felt good," Abbot said. "There is a lot revolving around a good start. A play in the first inning, the double plays play into a good start. I'm healthy for sure. We are at the edge. We know it's going to come. We just have to keep playing. Being humid it is a little easier to stay loose.

Rece Hinds doubled for the his first Major League hit in the fifth inning after he was robbed by Ezequiel Tovar in his first at bat.

"It feels great," Hinds said. "I'm still not believing it. Coming out here and having fun. It's a big wow. Obviously, when I was driving up from Louisville I was a wreck. I teared up a couple of times. I didn't eat anything all day. I came in and saw all these familiar faces. Everyone just greeted me, like they were happy for me to be here. It was like a nice place in my heart. It made me more comfortable, like I was home."

Hinds hit the first home run of his career against Tyler Kinley in the eighth inning. The ball traveled 449 feet into the upper deck of the left field stands.

"That's a normal home run for Rece," said Abbott who played with Hinds in the minor leagues.

The Reds scored a pair against Ohio State Grad Ryan Feltner. Elly De La Cruz opened the fourth inning with a single. Jeimer Candelario singled up the middle to put De La Cruz on third. Spencer Steer walked for the second time to load the bases.

"Base running is a key part of our game, David Bell said. "Elly did it all tonight. He's had a lot of huge plays that was at the top of the list. He has all kind of energy and he is doing everything in his power to get us off to a good start. It was me to get on the board first. They made a great play."

Tyler Stephenson hit into a double play as De La Cruz scored. Candelario scored when Elias Diaz high return throw eluded Feltner.

"Elly creates chaos," Abbott said. "There is nothing he can't do. He provides us a spark."

Fernando Cruz off a blown save against the Detroit Tiger logged a perfect eighth inning.

De La Cruz doubled home Will Benson with the fourth Reds' run in the eighth. De La Cruz went to third on Kinley's wild pick off attempt and beat a comeback ball hit by Candelario to score. Santiago Espinal contributed an RBI single. 

"That's the way the contact play works," Bell said. "You can't wait around. For Elly to make that play he had to get a great break and make a good slide."

Feltner pitched well enough to win for the Rockies but poor fielding cost him. He pitched seven innings, allowing two runs, one earned on four hits but issued three untimely walks.

Yosvier Zulueta finished off the Rockies in the ninth.