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 So, when an eight-run lead nearly evaporated on Monday night,
manager Bryan Price needed a savior out of the 'pen, or two.
Center fielder Billy Hamilton reached base four times, recorded four
steals to reach 40 for the season, and scored three times, sparking
Cincinnati to an 11-7 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the opener
of a three-game interleague series at Great American Ball Park.
But, the true heroes for the Reds were relievers Nate Adcock and
Manny Parra, who combined for five hitless innings, helping set up a
perfect ninth for closer Aroldis Chapman staving off the Twins'
rally.
"Those guys really performed above and beyond expectations," Price
said. "We were starting to get that feeling that this one might slip
away. Adcock and Parra came up so big in this game. They really
saved us."
Adcock (1-0) earned his first National League win, and first since
2011 which also came against the Twins.
"The thought going in was that they would need multiple innings from
me, for sure," Adcock said. "I threw some really good sliders today,
some good changeups. I was pleased."
Second baseman Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer for Minnesota
(40-36), which trailed 9-1 after three innings but scored six times
in the fourth to get within two.
But the Twins couldn't complete the comeback.
"We made a nice little rally there against Leake, tried to make it
interesting," manager Paul Molitor said. "The offense sputtered from
there. It wasn't much fun to watch."
Twins starter Mike Pelfrey (5-5) lasted just two-plus innings and
allowed eight earned runs to take the loss.
"Your goal is to attack, attack, attack," Pelfrey said. "I got away
from that. I got away from a lot of things that made me successful
to date. I got my butt kicked."
The Reds added some insurance runs on a perfectly placed suicide
squeeze bunt by shortstop Eugenio Suarez in the sixth and right
fielder Jay Bruce's RBI double in the seventh.
Suarez went 3-for-5 with three RBIs for Cincinnati, which tied a
season high for a nine-inning game with 17 hits.
Catcher Tucker Barnhart had a career-high four hits and two RBIs for
Cincinnati (35-40) to snap a three-game losing streak.
"He's hit a lot of balls back through the middle from both sides of
the plate," said Price of Barnhart. "That says a lot about his
approach. He's extremely confident right now."
Hamilton was a thorn in Minnesota's side Monday night, recording his
eighth multi-stolen base game of the season. He had a bunt single,
two walks, three stolen bases, and scored three runs in the first
three innings.
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"Obviously his speed is a game-changer," said Pelfrey.
Second baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr. had a pair of RBI hits. Suarez's
two-run double in the third put the Reds ahead 7-1. Later in the
third, the Reds loaded the bases against right-hander Alex Meyer,
and first baseman Joey Votto drove home two more runs with a long
single.
However, Minnesota roared back with a six-run fourth, highlighted by
Dozier's three-run blast on an 0-2 pitch from Mike Leake, trimming
Cincinnati's lead to 9-7. It was Dozier's 16th homer of the season.
"It was a high fastball, not where I wanted it," Leake said.
Despite being staked to an eight-run lead, Leake was gone after four
innings, having allowed seven runs and nine hits.
It's the most runs allowed by Leake since he gave up nine on May 15
against San Francisco.
"I did get a little bored (with the big lead), but it's not an
excuse," said Leake. "I just elevated some balls that they took
advantage of."
NOTES: Reds 3B Todd Frazier extended his hitting streak to eight
games with an RBI single in the first. ... Twins RF Torii Hunter
made his first career appearance at Great American Ball Park, the
last current ballpark he had yet to play in. ... Minnesota is
playing at Great American for the first time since 2012, when it
took two of three. Just five current Twins players appeared in that
series. ... Reds C Devin Mesoraco had season-ending surgery Monday
to repair a left hip impingement. He won't begin full activity until
Jan. 1. ... Cincinnati RHP Raisel Iglesias will begin a rehab
assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Louisville. He went on the disabled
list June 5 with a strained left oblique. He is expected to make two
or three starts to reach the desired 90 pitches. ... Reds LHP Tony
Cingrani, on the DL since June 15 with a strained left shoulder,
will begin a Triple-A rehab stint Saturday.
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