The homer-happy Cincinnati Reds return to .500 in big win vs. Chicago White Sox
Bobby NightengaleJesse Winker was mired in an 0-for-23 slump when he stood in the batter’s box with two runners on base and a key opportunity to open the floodgates in Friday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
When Winker saw an 81-mph slider that sat over the heart of the plate, he clobbered it halfway up the seats in right-center field.
The Cincinnati Reds exploded for five runs in the third inning on three hits – all homers – and cruised to a 7-1 victory at Great American Ball Park. The Reds improved their record to 26-26 with their sixth win in a row, the first time they’ve had a .500 record since Aug. 3.
"Being in this spot right now, chasing what we’re chasing and the goals we have in mind," Winker said, "it gives me goosebumps."
Winker was the last batter for White Sox rookie starter Jonathan Stiever, hammering the pitch 447 feet for a three-run homer. After Winker went through the line of high-fives in the dugout, he embraced Joey Votto for a hug. Votto said something to Winker and then gave him a fist bump.
Votto said he didn't think much of Winker's slump because Winker continued to take good swings.
"When (Winker) first came up, some people were talking about his power potential," said Votto, who had three hits and two RBI. "We're seeing him grow into it. We're seeing him become a more well-rounded hitter and tacking on the power part of it. It's very exciting and I'm happy for him.
"Watching him swing every day, I just thought at some point it's coming out because he just keeps missing."
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The Reds rely on home runs to score runs more than any team, which was a criticism when they were struggling, but a reason to celebrate Friday. They hit four homers, their first three were solo blasts.
Tucker Barnhart opened the third inning when he pummeled a fastball in a 0-2 count. The home run came just a few minutes after Barnhart threw out Nomar Mazara trying to steal second base in the top half of the inning, killing the Sox's momentum with his arm.
"We said it today, we’ve been playing really clean baseball," Winker said. "I’m DHing, so I get to see it all. It’s been so much fun, man. This is the most fun I’ve ever had. This is an incredible group of guys."
With two outs in the third inning, it was Votto’s turn. Votto, who reached on an infield single in his first at-bat, connected on a fastball and drove it on a line drive over the center-field wall for his 10th homer of the season.
“I knew I had it when I got that infield single," he deadpanned. "I knew I was feeling really good."
It was less than a month ago when Votto was trying to find ways to add power to his swing. Since his three-game benching last month, it seems like he found whatever he was looking for.
Votto hit his 10th homer in his 186th plate appearance. Votto needed 422 plate appearances to hit 10 homers last season and 441 in 2018.
"I feel like the work that I’ve been doing for a bit now is starting to pay off," Votto said. "I really look forward to finishing off well. It’s been exciting, from a personal standpoint, to see work pay off in a game. It’s really satisfying. It gives you hope. It gives you something to look forward to and something to look back on. Whenever there is any sort of dip in the future, it’s ‘yeah, you can do it.’”
It was the third time the Reds have scored at least five runs in an inning this season, the first time since a six-run second inning in a win over Milwaukee on Aug. 7.
"Jesse was hitting sixth today, and he hit a ball in the gap 111 mph for a home run. I mean, we’re getting longer," Votto said of the lineup. "I felt like the other side of the ball today, the White Sox, their team reminded me a little bit of us. Obviously, they’ve kind of flipped it and a lot of their guys started off well offensively. But I think about how long their lineup is."
The high-powered White Sox lineup was quiet against Tyler Mahle, who struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings as he mixed his fastball and slider well with a few splitters.
White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal has one of the lowest strikeout rates in the Majors, but Mahle showed how sharp he was by striking out Madrigal on three pitches in the third inning. Madrigal swung-and-missed at a first-pitch slider, he fell when he foul tipped a fastball and then he watched a 96-mph fastball for a called third strike.
"When I was able to locate my fastball and get swings and misses on that, it makes that slider look a lot better even if I don't throw as good of a slider," said Mahle, who yielded four hits, two walks and one run.
Mahle ran into trouble in the sixth inning when the first three batters reached base against him, including a leadoff double from Madrigal. As his pitch count neared 100, he limited the damage with a ground ball to third base for a fielder’s choice and a weak groundout in front of the mound.
Tejay Antone replaced Mahle with two outs in the sixth inning and he walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. For Antone, it was no problem. He struck out the dangerous Luis Robert with three straight sliders to end the inning.
"We’ve been winning a lot of different ways," Winker said. "I think really good teams do that. We hit some homers tonight. (Wednesday) we won 1-0. Our pitching staff and bullpen have been phenomenal. You just try to make a winning play whenever you can."