The Cincinnati Reds hit the road for the first time during Thursday’s day off, and on Friday began their first road series of the 2026 season.
Fortunately for them, they opened the scoring in their game against the Texas Rangers the very same way they ended it – with a major 2-run homer from a veteran off to an otherwise slow start.
Spencer Steer swatted a 2-run blast off Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore in the Top of the 2nd inning to open Cincinnati’s ledger in this one, and Tyler Stephenson effectively
closed it with a 2-run homer of his own in the Top of the 9th inning off veteran righty reliever Chris Martin. Stephenson’s came with the game tied 3-3, and closer Emilio Pagan – himself a veteran entering play on Friday having sputtered out of the gate – hammered down a perfect Bottom of the 9th to give Cincinnati the 5-3 victory.
It was a classic back and forth tie that lent itself to need a big hit late, and that’s precisely what Stephenson provided. He battled into a deep count with Martin, fouling off pitches as he worked for one he could mash, and he eventually went the other way over the wall in right-center for the blast that gave Cincinnati the victory, as the Reds shared on Twitter shortly after it happened.
Steer had doubled in front of Tyler, so he scored on the play. That gave him a pair of extra-base hits, pair of ribbies, and pair of runs scored on the day. Hopefully it’s a sign that he’s getting his bat going, as he’s going to be very much needed to anchor the lineup with his defensive versatility daily (as well as on days against a LHP starter). Stephenson, who’s going to get today’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award, similarly went 2 for 4 with a pair of ribbies – he gets the nod for the WPA boost on the homer, I suppose.
Reds 5, Rangers 3, and happy Reds fans a million.
Other Notes
- Elly De La Cruz chipped in with a solo homer, his third of the year. It was another laser hit from the right-side of the plate, which is an incredibly good sign.
- Eugenio Suarez did not blast a mighty dinger today, but he did have another pair of hits.
- Tony Santillan kept his season ledger clean after another incredibly effective 10-pitch inning yielding zero runs. Sam Moll needed 12 pitches for his, but it was a similar good ending.
- Rhett Lowder will toe the rubber in Saturday’s game between these two clubs, doing so opposite fellow former college standout Kumar Rocker. First pitch in that one is slated for 7:05 PM ET.
