After nearly a 3-hour rain delay, the game got underway, but it appeared that the rain washed away the Reds bats as Cincinnati managed just two hits in the game as the Baltimore Orioles eventually broke through against the bullpen and grabbed game one of the series with a 3-0 victory.
Final | R | H | E |
---|---|---|---|
Baltimore Orioles (21-11) |
3 | 9 | 0 |
Cincinnati Reds (16-16) |
0 | 2 | 0 |
W: Irvin (3-1) L: Pagan (2-2) SV: Kimbrel (8) | |||
Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread |
About an hour before the game was scheduled to begin the tarp was pulled out to cover the infield. What was expected to be a short rain delay turned into one that lasted nearly three hours. At 8:51pm, two hours and forty one minutes after the scheduled start, the game got underway.
Hunter Greene gave up a leadoff hit to Gunnar Henderson, but Henderson got greedy and tried to turn his hit into a double and Jake Fraley threw him out at second base. That turned out to be good for the Reds as a walk and an infield hit followed, as well as a wild pitch that advanced the runners to scoring position. Greene clamped down, though, and got a strikeout and a pop up to end the inning with no damage.
Elly De La Cruz would single in the bottom of the 1st and then steal second base, but he would be stranded there. Cincinnati’s offense wouldn’t get another runner against Cole Irvin until Hunter Greene exited the game in the 6th inning. Fortunately for the Reds, Greene was able to keep the Orioles off of the board through 5.2 innings. He walked the final batter he faced before Fernando Cruz came into the game and struck out Heston Kjerstad to end the inning.
Emilio Pagan took over for the Reds in the top of the 7th inning and immediately ran into trouble. He gave up a leadoff single and a steal. After getting a fly out to the warning track in center that moved Jorge Mateo up to third base, Adley Rutschman doubled in the first run of the game. Ryan O’Hearn followed up with a 2-run home run as Baltimore extended their lead to 3-0.
In the bottom of the 7th inning it was Elly De La Cruz picking up another hit – a double down the line – to start the frame. It was just the second hit of the night against Irvin, and it got the bullpen going for Baltimore. He would strike out Spencer Steer, but with Tyler Stephenson coming to the plate the Orioles went to the bullpen and brought in Yennier Cano. He needed just one pitch to get Stephenson to ground out. It took just two more to get Christian Encarnacion-Strand to ground out and end the inning.
Cincinnati went quietly in the 8th. Craig Kimbrel took over in the 9th and he struck out the side to end the game as the Orioles moved to an American League best 21-11 on the year. The Reds dropped to .500 at 16-16.
Key Moment of the Game
Bringing in Emilio Pagan for the 7th inning. He gave up three runs on four hits and saw the Orioles take what felt like a commanding lead.
Notes Worth Noting
Cincinnati hitters not named Elly De La Cruz went 0-27 without a walk.
Only five balls left the infield on the night for the Reds hitters.
Hunter Greene lowered his ERA to 3.12 on the season. He also got no run support once again.
Buck Farmer threw two hitless innings and lowered his ERA to 3.06 on the season.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Baltimore Orioles vs Cincinnati Reds
Saturday May 4th, 6:40pm ET
John Means (season debut) vs Andrew Abbott (1-3, 3.27 ERA)
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