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Reds 8 Rays 1
The much maligned Reds bullpen saved the night, covering 18 outs and allowing just one run after Hunter Greene took an early exit when he was hit on the shin by a comebacker. The Reds offense provided plenty of breathing room in piling up eight runs in a 8-1 win over the Rays Monday night at GABP. The Rays (14-3), entered the night with the best record in baseball.....scoring the most runs. The Reds managed their eight runs on seven hits.
Early exit: Hunter Greene took a bouncer off his right shin in the 3rd inning. He faced two more batters to complete the inning, but exited prior to the 4th inning. Line: 3 IN, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. 47 pitches/31 strikes. Ex-rays were negative. Buck Farmer came on to begin the 4th inning.
Bullpen: Had to cover 18 outs. They covered them. Farmer 4 outs, 0 R.....Alex Young 4 outs, 0 R......Ian Gibaut 4.0 outs, 0 R. Kevin Herget 6 outs, 1 R.
I've always loved this bullpen. That's 12 innings of bullpen work the last two days.....6 on Sunday and 6 on Monday.
Big hit! No. 9 hitter TJ Friedl stroked a bases loaded one out double that cleared the bases and gave the Reds a 4-0 lead in the 4th. Jake Fraley and Nick Senzel had walked following a Kevin Newman double. Friedl drove in four runs.
Newman! Newman collected three hits. His 2nd HR of the year to put the Reds ahead 1-0 B2. He added a double and RBI single....2 R, 2 RBI.
Fifth career starts at DH: 9 for 18, 2 HR.
Add-on: Tyler Stephenson hit a screamer past shortstop to plate a run in the 7th to make it 5-0. Newman then bounced an RBI single to make it 6-0.
Jose Barrero hit a gapper to score Senzel in the 8th and made a nifty slide into 3rd to beat the tag as he took the extra base on the throw home.
Good glove: Fraley made a diving catch of a looper with the bases loaded and two outs in the 6th that saved three runs. Wil Myers made a couple of nice plays at 1B. Stuart Fairchild made a nice sliding catch in LF.
Bad glove: Fraley misplayed a single that allowed an extra base to be taken (error). Jonathan India booted a sure DP ball in the 6th (error).
Hot Corner: Senzel made his 4th career start at 3B and made a couple of nice plays.
Purpose pitch: I'd circle and catalog the Cooper Criswell pitch that drilled Fairchild in the 7th inning.....after he'd drilled India.
Streak alive: Josh Lowe homered in the 9th to extend the Rays string to homering in all 17 games this season.
Dominance: The Reds have won four straight vs the Rays, dating back to last seasons series sweep. They are 14-5 lifetime vs Tampa Bay....8-2 at GABP.
Record: 7-9.....won their 7th game last year on May 11 (7-24).
Next: Nick Lodolo, Tuesday, 6:40....they will really need some innings from him.
Time of game: 2:28
Attendance: 7,375