Cincinnati Reds goes for its first winning streak of the season as they continue a three-game road series against San Francisco Giants on Tuesday evening.
The Reds recorded only their fourth victory in the young campaign in the series opener Monday, riding Hunter Greenes 8 2/3 shut-off rounds and Blake Dunn’s tie-breaking, two-run double in eighth.
The Reds won one of three matches in a previous home series against Giants, but lost a 6-3 decision in the rubber game after winning 3-2 a day earlier.
Cincinnati has also followed up individual victories over Texas and Milwaukee with losses, fallen 1-0 at home against Rangers after a 14-3 victory and released an 8-2 road decision to Brewers on Sunday after making a victory of 11-7 on Saturday.
After the opening series against Giants where they received 10 runs, the reds were held for two runs or fewer in six out of eight matches, with the only exceptions that come in the victories over Rangers and Brewers.
“We always want to be more consistent,” Spencer Steer said. “I think everyone here is the kind of fighting right now. We have to start swinging the bats. Our pitching has done well so far. They have kept us in many of these games and we have not been able to score points.”
The left-hander Nick Lodolo (1-1, 1.42 era) has been one of these jugs. California’s natives beat six strong rounds, which allowed two runs, to beat Giants 3-2 in the second match of the season at Cincinnati.
He followed it with 6 2/3 rounds without allowing a earned drive, but was a hard door in a 1-0 defeat on Milwaukee last Thursday.
The 27-year-old has gone 1-1 with a 4.50 era in two career starts against Giants.
The Red did not see the right hand the land Roupp (0-0, 6.75) when Giants visited to open the season. San Francisco won the 26-year-old’s season debut 6-3 on Houston last Wednesday, a game where he did not make a decision after allowing three runs in four rounds.
Eight of the 12 outs he recorded were of strikes.
The second year’s major leaguer has never met the reds.
Before Monday’s defeat, Giants had not lost since Lodolo began in Cincinnati. But two Walk-off victories in their three games swipe by Seattle Mariners to end last week got a tired relief staff after a brilliant start of Logan Webb in the series opener to the reds.
Reliable set man Tyler Rogers, who has not allowed a run in five excursions this season, was considered inaccessible after placing twice in the Seattle series. So Giants -Manager Bob Melvin turned a speechless tie to Camilo Doval, the club’s previous closer, in the eighth round and saw Red’s points the game’s only two runs.
“It’s a bit his inning,” Melvin said about Rogers. “We have to spread this (bullpen) thing around a bit. It’s early in the season.”
-Field Level Media
