Cincinnati experienced mixed results in their split-squad matchups on Wednesday evening in Arizona. They capitalized on their hits to secure a victory against the White Sox, but faced a heavy defeat at home against the reigning World Series Champions, the Texas Rangers.
In the game against the White Sox, Cincinnati clinched a 3-1 win despite managing only three hits. Two of these hits were home runs, proving pivotal as the Reds’ pitchers maintained control, allowing just one walk and securing nine strikeouts. The match saw a slow start, with both teams struggling to gain momentum in the initial innings.
However, Cincinnati seized the lead in the fourth inning, but the White Sox swiftly equalized following a Reds’ error. The seventh inning saw an offensive surge from the Reds, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Luke Maile hitting solo home runs, extending their lead to 3-1. Stellar pitching from Tyler Gilbert and Zach Maxwell ensured the Reds maintained their lead until the end, clinching the victory.
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On the other hand, the game against the Rangers took a different turn for the Reds after initially taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Rangers swiftly turned the tide, scoring six runs in the following inning, including a grand slam by Marcus Semiun. Despite an early lead courtesy of an error by the Rangers, the Reds faltered as pitching struggles allowed Texas to dominate offensively. Although efforts were made to contain the Rangers’ lead, with notable performances from Brent Suter and Emilio Pagan, the Reds were unable to mount a comeback, resulting in an 8-1 loss.
Looking ahead, the Reds will face the Seattle Mariners in a road game on Thursday night. Although the game won’t be televised, radio coverage will be available on 700 WLW, with the first pitch scheduled for 9:40pm ET.
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