The Cincinnati Reds will look to begin a new winning streak when they travel to Denver to open a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Monday.
Cincinnati has been trying to play its way back to a .500 record, and it was headed in the right direction thanks to a three-game winning streak, but that came to an end on Sunday. The Reds fell 3-1 to the Marlins due to left-hander Braxton Garrett and Miami’s bullpen. Cincinnati mustered just five hits and left eight runners on base.
A lack of offense has been a rarity for the Reds as of late, as they had managed to score at least five in all three games of the winning streak.
“We’re really confident in how we’re swinging the bat and the at-bats we’re having,” Reds manager David Bell said following the loss to Miami. “We felt like we’d score more runs (Sunday) and you have to give (Garrett) credit. … That was really the difference.”
Cincinnati will be looking to rediscover its offense on Monday, especially considering its pitching rotation took a big hit on Sunday when left-hander Nick Lodolo went to the 15-day injured list due to a calf injury. Lodolo is 2-1 with a 6.29 ERA this season.
The Reds could be leaning more on right-hander Hunter Greene (0-3, 3.69 ERA), who will be looking to pick up his first win of the season on Monday. Greene lost his only career start against Colorado, allowing four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings on April 29, 2022. He struck out six and walked four.
In his most recent start, Greene took the loss against the New York Mets last Wednesday. He surrendered two runs on six hits while walking four and fanning four in 5 1/3 innings.
The Rockies will turn to Connor Seabold (1-0, 4.56), who, like Greene, does not have much experience against his opponent. Seabold has faced the Reds just once — when he was with the Red Sox — permitting four runs on six hits in five innings of a 5-1 loss last September. He issued a walk and picked up four strikeouts.
However, things are trending in the right direction for Seabold since being thrown into Colorado’s rotation due to a handful of injuries. The 27-year-old earned his first major league win last Tuesday after allowing one run on three hits in five innings against the Pirates.
“It feels great, it feels like the monkey is off my back a little bit,” Seabold said after the win. “I just wanted to give the team five or six innings.”
Seabold has done just that in each of his two starts for Colorado this season, tossing five innings of three-run ball against the Brewers on May 4. Since being thrust into the starting rotation, Seabold has posted a 3.60 ERA.
The Rockies avoided being swept on Sunday with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Phillies. They did not come out unscathed, though, as C.J. Cron exited the game in the third inning due to back spasms.
Colorado will be hoping Charlie Blackmon can stay hot at the plate, as he has gone 7-for-16 (.438) with two RBIs and four runs over his last five games.
–Field Level Media
