The Reds find their footing with an impressive offensive display and standout pitching from Sonny Gray.
July 29, 2020 – Bradley Charles – Bluegrass Sports Nation
The Reds entered tonight’s contest with a 1-4 record, and were in desperate need of a victory. The good news going into the game was that Michael Moustakas, Nick Senzel, and Tucker Barnhart were all returning to the starting lineup after being sidelined for various reasons.
The Reds’ starting pitcher was Sonny Gray, and the Cubs’ started Kyle Hendricks. Both Gray and Hendricks put forth phenomenal performances en route to a victory in each team’s respective season-opener.
Game Recap:
The game was scoreless in the bottom of the fourth inning when Mike Moustakas beamed a home run to right field which batted-in Eugenio Suárez, and gave the Reds a 2-0 lead. In the fifth inning, the Reds put on an offensive display as they scored seven runs on five hits to take a 9-0 lead into the sixth inning.
Thus far this season, the Reds’ bullpen has struggled mightily and that didn’t change tonight. When Sonny Gray was pulled in the top of the seventh inning, Chicago went on to score five runs in the inning against the Reds’ Brooks Raley. At the midway point of the seventh inning, Cincinnati owned a 9-5 lead.
The Reds extended their lead to 12-5 in the bottom of the seventh, and eased any tension that might have existed in the minds of Reds fans. After a scoreless eighth inning, the Reds secured their victory in the top of the ninth inning by allowing only two runs.
In this shortened season, every at-bat, every inning, and every game is magnified. For Cincinnati fans, it was nice to see the Reds get the victory tonight to end their four-game losing streak.
While the Reds are still two games behind .500, it’s worth noting that the absence of Moustakas, Senzel, and Barnhart did hurt the team’s chances in the past few contests. Now that they are back in the lineup, that’s a big boost to the team.
Impressive Stats for the Reds:
Nick Castellanos recorded two hits, four RBI’s, and scored two runs in three at-bats.
Sonny Gray pitched 6.2 innings and recorded 11 strikeouts to only one hit, while allowing no earned runs.
Nick Senzel tallied two hits in four at-bats and registered two RBI’s.
What’s Next?
The last meeting of this four-game series between the Reds (2-4) and the Cubs (4-2) will take place on Thursday, July 29, at 6:10 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park.