Nick Lodolo, bullpen lead Reds to a shutout win in San Francisco

The San Francisco Giants are unstoppable…. unless they are playing the Cincinnati Reds. They entered the series riding a 7-game winning streak, but for the second night in a row the Cincinnati pitchers kept them off of the scoreboard. On Tuesday night it was Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, and Emilio Pagan working together for the Reds as they picked up a 1-0 win to start what is now a winning streak of two games.

Final
R
H
E

Cincinnati Reds (5-7)
1
8
1

San Francisco Giants (8-3)
0
4
0

W: Lodolo (2-1) L: Roupp (0-1) SV: Pagan (2)

Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread

The Reds were able to get the scoring started in the top of the 3rd inning after Spencer Steer doubled and came around to score later in the inning on a ground out by Jose Trevino. Those two were at the center of things again two innings later when Steer once again doubled and then took third base on a single off of the glove of the second baseman by Jake Fraley. Trevino laid down a bunt for a safety squeeze, and it was a good bunt, but Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt made an outstanding play on the ball and made the throw to the plate to get a sliding Steer to squash Cincinnati’s inning.

In the bottom of the 5th inning it was the San Francisco offense putting the pressure on Nick Lodolo. Schmitt, fresh off of his outstanding play in the top of the inning, won an 8-pitch battle with a single to lead off the inning. He then moved up a base in each of the next two at-bats to put himself 90-feet away from tying the game up. Heliot Ramos this crushed a ball into right-center field, but Jake Fraley ran it down and caught it over his head just before sliding into the wall to end the inning and save a run.

Jake Fraley reaches all the way back for a beautiful catch ? pic.twitter.com/DSYswBj2vN

— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2025

After another shutout inning in the 6th, Nick Lodolo’s day came to an end after 87 pitches and just three hits allowed. Graham Ashcraft entered out of the bullpen with the Reds holding onto a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 7th. He threw a perfect inning, but when he returned for the 8th he gave up a leadoff single. No worries for Ashcraft as he induced a grounder that turned into a double play to erase the runner. The righty then struck out Willy Adames to end the inning.

In the top of the 9th the Reds got a leadoff double from Gavin Lux, but they were unable to capitalize on it and went down in order after that. Cincinnati sent Emilio Pagan to the mound in the bottom of the inning to try and lock down the win. He immediately got some help after Blake Dunn made a sliding catch on a blooper into shallow left field to begin the frame. A line out to right field four pitches later left the game in the hands of Wilmer Flores. One pitch later the game was over as he hit a lazy fly ball to left field as Pagan picked up the save in a 1-0 pitching dominated game.

Key Moment of the Game

Spencer Steer’s double that led to him scoring the games only run in the 3rd inning.

Notes Worth Noting

Nick Lodolo has allowed two earned runs in 18.2 innings over his three starts this season. That’s a 0.96 ERA. He’s only walked one batter this season and it was the first batter of the game on Tuesday night.

Graham Ashcraft threw 20 pitches in the game. 18 of those pitches were strikeouts. That will get the job done every time. Emilio Pagan did him one better, sort of. He threw seven pitches in the 9th inning and six of them were strikes. Both relievers keep their ERA spotless on the season.

After starting the season 1-21, Spencer Steer is riding a 3-game hitting streak where he’s gone 4-10 with a home run, two doubles, and two walks.

Last time the Reds shut out the same opponent in consecutive games on the road was 7/28-7/29/2015 vs the Cardinals. The game on the 28th was Mike Leake’s last start as a Red before being traded to the Giants.

— Joel Luckhaupt (@jluckhaupt.bsky.social) April 8, 2025 at 11:43 PM

Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants

Wednesday, April 9, 3:45 p.m. ET

Nick Martinez (0-2, 5.91 ERA) vs Justin Verlander (0-0, 6.14 ERA)