Three runs in the ninth to tie, and three more in the 10th inning led the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-4 victory and a three-game sweep over the Minnesota Twins before 19,422 at Target Field in Minneapolis.
FinalRHECincinnati Reds (14-8)771Minnesota Twins (11-11)493W: Pagan (2-0) L: Acton (1-1) Sv: Ashcraft (1)Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread
TJ Friedl’s three-run double in the ninth inning rallied the Reds from a 3-1 deficit to a 4-3 lead. In extra innings, designated runner Elly De La Cruz scored on a batted ball that resulted in two errors by the Twins. That was followed by two insurance runs being plated by a Rece Hinds double. Graham Ashcraft earned his first-ever college or professional baseball in the bottom of the 10th.
Cincinnati’s 14-8 start has them one-half game ahead of 13-8 St. Louis in the National League Central Division, the only Major League Baseball division in which every team is over .500. Chicago and Pittsburgh, tied for fourth as this post goes live, are both 12-9. The Reds’ 8-2 road record is the best in Major League Baseball, and they have won five of their last six games. At 3-0 in extra innings, they have already won as many such games as they did all of last season, when they were 3-12.
The Offense
Cincinnati’s team batting line: 7-for-38 (.184), 7 walks drawn, and 14 strikeouts.
De La Cruz’s leadoff fourth-inning triple and Sal Stewart’s RBI groundout started the visitors’ scoring. Eugenio Suarez walked, but then Spencer Steer was called out on a taken pitch that looked clearly outside and should have been ball four. For some season, Steer did not challenge, and the inning then ended on Tyler Stephenson’s fly-out to right.
Again next inning, with Friedl at second with two out, Matt McLain was called out on a pitch clearly outside (according to my view of the strike zone box superimposed on the home-plate TV shot from the center field camera), but did not challenge.
In the seventh, two of Cincinnati’s first three batters reached on walks by Twins starter Bailey Ober, prompting Twins Manager Derek Shelton to summon former Red Taylor Rogers, a lefthander, to face Nathaniel Lowe, pinch-hitting for Ke’Bryan Hayes. Terry Francona responded by sending Dane Myers to the plate to hit for Lowe. Myers flied out to center, and Friedl then popped up for the third out.
In the ninth against rookie righthander Andrew Morris, Steer and Stephenson led off with singles to right. With one out, Myers walked to load the bases. Friedl then responded with a double to the right-center-field gap, scoring all three runners, to give the Reds their first lead of the game. It was his first extra-base hit of the year.
In the 10th, with De La Cruz at second at the designated runner with one out, Suarez grounded one to third base. Twins’ third baseman Tristan Gray booted it, allowing De La Cruz to advance to third, and then leftfielder Martin booted the ball again to allow De La Cruz to score and Suarez to reach second. Will Benson was walked intentionally to get to Hinds, who blistered one to the left-field corner to score two more.
Friedl’s two hits and three runs batted in led Reds hitters today in both categories.
The Pitching
Cincinnati pitchers’ combined pitching line: 10 innings, 9 hits allowed and 6 walks, with 5 strikeouts.
Minnesota scored a run in the bottom of the first inning off starter Brady Singer. Leadoff batter Byron Buxton hit a slow roller to third for an infield hit. Trying to record an out with a quick throw, Ke’Bryan Hayes threw one in the dirt, allowing Buxton to reach second. He eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini.
The Twins then scored twice in the third on four consecutive one-out hits. Singer then pitched around two one-out hits in the fourth to hold Minnesota scoreless. The Twins helped by attempting to fool the Reds on a steal attempt, which was foiled. With runners on first and third, the runner at first broke for second. De La Cruz cut in front of the second-base bag to take Stephenson’s throw, then fired a short-hop BB back to Stephenson for the easy tag-out of Brooks Lee at home.
Singer finished strong, completing six innings on 104 pitches, allowing five hits and four walks, but retiring the final six hitters he faced.
Connor Phillips pitched a scoreless seventh. Kyle Nicolas allowed two soft-contact hits to open the eighth, but held Minnesota scoreless in his second straight impressive outing.
Emilio Pagan entered in the ninth for a save opportunity, and allowed a leadoff double to James Outman. But one out later, Austin Martin ripped a ground double down the left-field line to tie the game at 4-4.
In the 10th, Ashcraft walked Ryan Jeffers with two out, bringing Lee to the plate as the tying run. The game ended on a borderline pitch which was called a ball by home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. Catcher P.J. Higgins challenged the call, and the ABS replay showed a strike, which became strike three to Lee.
One fan’s thoughts
(Note: I wrote this before the late-inning comeback, and despite today’s late rally, I believe it is still valid.)
We’re all excited about the Reds’ best 22-game start since at least 2006. They clearly have the pitching that can take this team well into the post-season. But if this team is t0 have the chance to be a force in the post-season, there will need to be some changes in the lineup. And I don’t mean someone getting a day off once in awhile.
I’ve previously supported the idea of perhaps the best defensive infielder in baseball (Hayes) having a place in the lineup — but only when you have a robust-enough hitting attack to compensate for his lack of offensive punch. With this team as currently constituted, Hayes’ best role would be as a late-inning defensive replacement. In other words, he has very little value currently.
Hinds got off to a great start at Louisville, but in his week back in the bigs, he’s shown that any pitcher who can throw a breaking pitch can retire him. Those of us who have been watching this team (and this sport) for some time have seen plenty of guys like this come and go. One who recently went was Christian Encarnacion-Strand. This year’s Reds have to create a batting order that can adequately support the efforts of a quality pitching staff. They can’t give Hinds a month to flail about. There are other outfielders at Louisville.
Nick Krall has to find some more bats. The team currently has three bats that can be counted upon: Stewart, De La Cruz and Suarez. The remainder are little to no challenge for major league pitchers with good stuff and control — which is the majority.
For those who would say, give these guys some time, it’s early. Take a look at the back of Friedl’s, McLain’s, Steer’s and Stephenson’s baseball cards. These guys are who their statistics say are. If one or more of them turns it around, that would be great. But to expect that to happen is a faulty approach.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds at Tampa Bay Rays
Monday, April 20, 6:40 p.m. ET
Rhett Lowder (2-1, 3.52 ERA) vs. TBA
