Searching for the first three-game series sweep of their in-state rival since 2012, the Cincinnati Reds will look to close out the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday afternoon.
Winners of three straight contests, the Reds took the second game of the Ohio Cup series on Saturday, 4-1. Will Benson and Rece Hinds each homered for Cincinnati, while six pitchers combined to throw nine quality innings in the victory.
“From pitch one, we attacked the zone,” said left-hander Brent Suter, who threw three scoreless frames to open the game. “We did a great job of getting ahead and staying ahead, forcing weak contact. That’s a good lineup over there. We did a great job of making pitches when we had to. … I’m proud of this whole team, but our bullpen in particular. It’s just risen to the occasion every time.”
For a Cincinnati team that entered the weekend following a series loss to the American League-worst Chicago White Sox, a bounce back has been more than needed.
“We’re just going inning by inning,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “I thought we played a really crisp game (Saturday). I don’t even know if we stole any bases, which is good for us to win without doing that.”
Reds pitchers have allowed just six runs across the club’s three-game winning streak, a trend that left-hander Andrew Abbott (2-0, 2.10 ERA) wants to prolong on Sunday.
Abbott, who is aiming to snap a four-start stretch without a win, threw six innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. The Reds lost 5-1 in 10 innings. In two career appearances versus Cleveland, Abbott is 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA.
Cleveland has dropped three straight games and five of seven ahead of the series finale at Great American Ball Park. The Guardians, who rank 11th in the AL with a .232 batting average and 12th in hits (337), mustered just one extra-base knock in the loss on Saturday, as Daniel Schneemann’s solo homer in the fifth gave the team a 1-0 lead.
Vying to help Cleveland salvage the series, right-hander Luis Ortiz (2-4, 4.78) will try to build on an impressive start last time out. Ortiz surrendered just one run on four hits across six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 11 in a 3-0 loss. Ortiz has allowed one run or less in six-plus innings in two of his last three starts.
“I think it’s been a combination of three things,” Ortiz said of what has led to his recent success. “The work I’ve been putting in, the focus that I’ve had with every outing and the confidence. All those things are building up to where I am at right now.”
Ortiz, 26, faced the Reds four times as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, compiling a 1-0 record and a 1.69 ERA (four earned runs allowed in 21 1/3 innings) in three starts and one relief outing.
–Field Level Media
