This Cincinnati Reds team that leaves Colorado after a sweep of the Rockies can contend. If they can dig themselves out of the hole they created in May, watch out when Noelvi Marte and (maybe) Matt McLain return. The Rally Redlegs finally came out and showed what this offense is capable of with two 10+ run performances in a sweep of the Colorado Rockies. Tonight’s win, which required a six-run top of the ninth inning on a two-run home run by Spencer Steer and a grand slam by Jonathan India, gave the Cincinnati Reds some life in this 2024 season.
Since dropping to a season-worst 10 games under .500 on May 23, the Reds have won nine of their last 12 games to improve to 29-33, just 4 games under .500. In 3 games at Coors Field, the Reds scored 29 runs, including 22 two-out runs. On Wednesday, the Reds battled back from deficits of 4-0 after one inning and 7-4 after the seventh. Personally, I was ready to call it after Ashcraft was blasted for 4 runs in the first inning.
Ashcraft got the hook after a season-low 3 2/3 innings. The Cincinnati Reds had some life when Jeimer Candelario slugged a two-out, two-run homer to right field in the third inning. TJ Friedl tied the game up at 4 with his own two-run homer to right-center field in the fifth inning. Colorado went back on top with Elias Díaz’s solo homer off Nick Martinez and added two more runs in the seventh inning.
The Reds stayed close with two runs in the eighth inning to make it a 7-6 game, including an RBI triple to right field by Jacob Hurtubise.
In the top of the ninth inning against the Rockies “for-now” closer Jalen Beeks, Friedl was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. The Rockies challenged but were not successful. Friedl was on second base with two outs when Steer slugged a two-run homer to left field for 439 feet.
Beeks continued to struggle and gave up two hits and a walk to load the bases for India. Rockies rookie Angel Chivilli took over and immediately surrendered a sensational grand slam to India to make the game 12-7.
India is 4-for-5 with the bases loaded in 2024 with four grand slams for his career.
During their 9-18 month of May, the Reds offense pretty much ceased to exist. Since their three-game home sweep of the Dodgers, they are batting .281 with 16 homers. The Cincinnati Reds return to Great American Ballpark to host the Chicago Cubs tomorrow. Make sure to come back for our game preview!
