*Photo from the Dayton Daily News*
Maybe this was the spark they needed to get going again. Elly De La Cruz drove in 3 runs, Luke Maile homered, and the Cincinnati Reds rolled over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 9-2 victory on Friday night in Pittsburgh.
The Reds won for just the second time in their last 10 games with the win, starting their series on the right foot. De La Cruz and Maile combined to drive in 6 of the 9 runs, as the Reds used some lineup shuffling to try and spark the team.
Reds manager David Bell said "We try not to make too big of a deal about the lineup, but of course, everything matters. Getting off to a good start like that, and Elly being able to contribute right from the first inning, it’s a good way to start it out. You make changes, you don’t like to make too many of them, but when you do and players can settle in quick, it helps."
De La Cruz started the scoring in the first inning for the Reds, hitting a two run triple to make it 2-0. Spencer Steer then drove in De La Cruz with an RBI double to make it 3-0 quickly. In the 4th inning, Maile broke it open with a 3 run home run to center field, making it 6-0 Reds. Ke'Bryan Hayes homered in the 6th to get the Pirates on the board and make it a 6-1 score.
Later in the 6th, Andrew McCutchen made it a 6-2 game with an RBI single that scored Bryan Reynolds. In the 8th inning, TJ Friedl hit an RBI single that padded the Reds lead to 7-2. De La Cruz added an RBI single of his own to make it 8-2 before Steer also hit an RBI single, making it a 9-2 final score.
Reds starter Andrew Abbott said of the lineup that "Those guys are in there doing their jobs. Great at-bat from TJ leading off the game, and Matt with the single. It just feeds into the next person, and then you take the energy from the hitters and you go out to the pitching mound and try to keep the momentum on your side for as long as you can."
Abbott took the mound for the Reds and had a strong outing, allowing two runs on 4 hits while striking out 9 hitters in 5 2/3 innings pitched. Derek Law worked the next 1 1/3 innings before Brett Kennedy pitched the final two innings to close out the win.
Johan Oviedo got the start for the Pirates, getting charged with 6 runs on 5 hits and two walks in 5 innings, dropping to 6-12 on the season. Jose Hernandez pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Colin Selby allowed 3 runs in one inning. Angel Perdomo pitched the final 1 1/3 innings.
Up next, the series continues on Saturday night. Brandon Williamson starts for the Reds as they go for the series win, while Andre Jackson takes the mound for the Pirates as they try to tie the series at a game apiece.
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