The Cincinnati Reds rode a roller coaster all day against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
The game was delayed early by rain and got soggy again late. Chase Burns, who started for the Reds on the day, struck out 10 Pirates in 6.0 IP…but also yielded 9 hits and 5 runs. The team took an early 2-0 lead, gave it back on a 3-run homer by Brandon Lowe, later held a 6-4 lead, and eventually found themselves trailing 7-6.
That, fortunately, was when Eugenio Suárez stepped to the plate with a pair of runners
on.
With lefty fireballer Gregory Soto on the mound trying to close out the Reds in the Top of the 9th – and with 2-outs, to boot – Geno lifted a ball through the fog into the seats in right field, his 3-run homer flipping the scoreboard again and this time giving Cincinnati a lead it would not relinquish.
It’s been an emotional few days for Geno, a pround native of Venezuela who has watched his country suffer so much in the aftermath of two gigantic earthquakes earlier in the week. He’s been wearing ‘VZ’ on the side of his hat in each game of this series as a way to honor his country, and this was pretty clearly a very emotional moment for him.
Chase Petty picked up his first career save in what’s becoming an increasingly effective role for him in the bullpen, and a 9-7 final goes on the Reds ledger.
Thanks to this (and last night’s victory), the Reds have won a series against an NL Central opponent again for the first time since Maurice of Nassau defeeated Jean de Rie of Varas at the Battle of Turnhout.
Jose Trevino went 2 for 4 with a double, run scored, and a pair of ribbies, while Edwin Arroyo went 2 for 2 with 2 runs scored and a ribbie of his own – not bad from the butt-end of the batting order. Sal Stewart homered as part of a 2-hit, 2 ribbie day, and the Reds pounded out 10 total hits as a club in a well-rounded effort.
The Reds will send a resurgent Brady Singer to the mound on Sunday in search of the sweep, with first pitch in that one scheduled for 1:35 PM ET.
