After taking the first game of the series the Cincinnati Reds just couldn’t find success over the next two. On Sunday the Cleveland Guardians hit five home runs as they routed Cincinnati 10-3 and picked up a series win.
The Reds went down in order in the top of the 1st inning. Cleveland came out in their half of the inning and didn’t take too much time to get the scoring started. Jose Ramirez drew a 1-out walk and then scored on a 2-out, 2-run home run by Chase DeLauter off of Brady Singer to put the Guardians on top.
Cincinnati would get their own home run two innings later when Elly De La Cruz hit an opposite field solo home run to cut the lead down to a run. But that’s not where the score stayed for very long as the home team picked up two more runs in the bottom of the frame on a 2-run blast from Kyle Manzardo that pushed Cleveland’s lead to 4-1.
The Reds would get one of those runs back in the top of the 4th when they began the inning with three straight singles, with Nathaniel Lowe’s bringing in Spencer Steer to make it 4-2. But they got in their own way after that when Sal Stewart was picked off of second base and TJ Friedl took a called strike three that was several inches out of the zone to end the inning and failed to challenge the call. Bryan Rocchio hit the Guardians third home run of the day off of Brady Singer in the bottom of the inning to take the home team lead to 5-2. In the next inning Kyle Manzardo hit his club’s fourth home run of the day, and his second of the game, off of Brock Burke to push their lead to four runs.
Connor Phillips worked around a double and a walk in the 6th inning. In the 7th inning he wasn’t as lucky. After he walked Steven Kwan with two outs he served up a home run to Angel Martinez as Cleveland extended their lead to 8-2 on their fifth homer of the day. Tejay Antone took over for Cincinnati in the 8th and hit the first batter on his first pitch. Jose Ramirez would then hit the first pitch he saw for a 1-out, 2-run home run to make it 10-2.
The Reds got a 1-out single from Blake Dunn in the 9th. Matt McLain followed up with a double, but he rounded second base before realizing Dunn was held at third and the cutoff man fired to second base to tag out McLain. Dane Myers picked up an infield single to drive in a run, but a fly ball that followed ended the game as Cleveland held on for a 10-3 win.
Key Moment of the Game
Tough to pinpoint one specific spot in the game that was key as Cleveland just got it done in methodical fashion all day long.
Notes Worth Noting
Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer, Sal Stewart, and Nathaniel Lowe all had 2-hit games.
Connor Phillips now has a 5.26 ERA to go along with three hit batters and 26 walks in his 25.2 innings pitched this season.
Cincinnati is 1-10 in their last 11 road games.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Philadelphia Phillies
Monday May 18th, 6:40pm ET
Nick Lodolo (0-1, 8.68 ERA) vs Andrew Painter (1-4, 6.21 ERA)
