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Reds 8 Nationals 4
Nick Senzel delivered a big ealy blow with a three-run homer, Jonathan India homered twice, Spencer Steer and Elly De La Cruz collected four hits apiece and Brett Kennedy picked up the win in his first MLB appearance since 2018 as the Reds beat the Nationals 8-4 Tuesday afternoon. The Reds are 21-6 since June 5, the 2nd best record in MLB to the Braves (22-3).
They have won 18 of their last 22 games overall. They are a season high eight games over .500 at 47-39 overall... They were 32-54 through 86 games last season.
Road killers: The Reds are now 17-3 on the road since May 26, the best mark in MLB. They started the season 1-9 away from GABP.
Offense: 16 hits, 8 players had at least one hit, 8 R, 3 HR, 5 SB..... No. 3-4-5 hitters a combined 11 for 14, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 RB, BB, SB.
Observation: Make no mistake, the depth and versatility of this roster and the resulting ability for David Bell to mix and match vs opposing pitchers and situations makes this Reds team one that is a growing problem for MLB.
Early action: The Reds raced around the bases for two runs in the first inning. Matt McLain opened with a hustle double and scored when he was running on a Jonathan India single the other way. De La Cruz looped one the other way with India going 1st to 3rd and Elly rolling into 2nd on the throw. Steer then parachuted one into LCF, India scored, Elly raced to 3rd, Steer streaked into 2nd.
Four hit day for De La Cruz. He entered the game 3 for 28 batting RH vs LHP, delivered three hits vs LHP Patrick Corbin. Per ESPN: He's the first player age 21 or younger to have two 4-hit games within his first 25 MLB games since Luis Rivas in 2000-01. He is the first player age 21 or younger with 4 hits on July 4th since Bobby Doerr (BOS) in 1939.
Four hit day for Steer. He reached base a 5th time on a walk. He made a nice running catch along the left field foul line.
India, 2 for his last 22, cracked two homers and a single. HR: 400 feet and 421 feet.
Senzel, hitting .375 vs LHP this season, obliterated a ball for a three-run HR to make it 5-0 in the 3rd inning and made a nice leaping catch in right field.
McLain: 3 BB, 2 R, H.
Of note: Three Reds rookies reached safely 4x each for the first time since 5/8/1935 (Gilly Campbell, Ival Goodman, Lew Riggs).....per Joel Luckhaupt.
Brett Kennedy: 5+ IN, 4 R. He exited with a 7-2 lead and 2 on and 0 outs in the 6th. Both inherited runners then scored vs Fernando Cruz. Kennedy was making his first MLB appearance since 2018 (Padres). He started this season with the Long Island Ducks in Independent ball. He is the 30th pitcher, excluding position players, to appear for the Reds this season.
Bullpen: Cruz 1 IN, 0 R, 2 inherited runners scored.....Alex Young 1 IN, Daniel Duarte 1+ IN......Lucas Sims 1IN for his first save of the season. He's the 8th different pitcher to record a save for the Reds this season.
Thieves! That's 100 SB for the Reds....the most prior to the All-Star break since the 1995 Reds (102). They stole 58 bases all of last season.
Nifty fifty: Kennedy became the 50th player used by the Reds this season.