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Cincinnati Reds fight back to take series opener from Minnesota Twins
The Cincinnati Reds' clutch muscle appears to have grown quite strong. The Reds flexed that muscle Sunday against the MLB-best Detroit Tigers in a come-from-behind road win. They flexed it again Tuesday at Great American Ball Park as they rebounded twice from deficits to take the series opener from the Minnesota Twins at Great American Ball Park. Advertisement The emergence of this clutch play by Cincinnati is coinciding with winning eight of their last 10 games, arguably their hottest run of 2025, and the appearance of a team with at least some of the ingredients needed to be a contender. On Tuesday, T.J. Friedl's go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth inning proved decisive as the Reds won, 6-5, before a crowd of 26,153. That was one of several important cracks off the Reds' bats on a night when all six of their runs were scored with two outs, and when the Reds faced an early 1-0 deficit and later a 5-4 hole after a Christian Encarnacion-Strand error cracked the door open for the Twins to retake the lead. "We did some good things," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "We made some mistakes, but we did some good things. They're in a good place where they're fighting. Again, it's not always gonna be perfect but they're fighting. I like that a lot." Reds pitcher Scott Barlow (2-0) earned the win as Friedl's hit following his 1 1/3 innings of scoreless work. The ensuing save by Emilio Págan was his 17th, putting him in a tie for the sixth-most saves in baseball. Advertisement Cincinnati improved to 38-35 with the victory, seven games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs and only 1 1/2 games out of the third wild-card spot. The teams will meet Wednesday for the middle game of their series (7:10 p.m.) as Reds starter Nick Lodolo (4-5, 3.76 ERA) is scheduled to throw against the Twins' Bailey Ober (4-3, 4.40 ERA). Byron Buxton enjoyed an interesting sequence of back-to-back plays on both sides of the ball. First, he robbed Will Benson of a home run at the wall in center field to end the second inning and then led off the top of the third inning with a homer of his own to almost the same part of the field where he made his defensive play. Twins center fielder Byron Buxton kept the Reds from taking an early lead when he went above the wall to rob Will Benson of a solo home run in the second inning. Buxton came to the plate in the next half inning and homered for a 1-0 Twins lead. Benson would have his revenge. Advertisement The Reds were no-hit into the fourth inning when Benson hammered a two-run double to the left-center field wall. Elly De La Cruz scored on the double. He was hitless but walked twice with a steal and a run scored. He lined out in the eighth inning on a screaming line drive to center field measured at 110 mph off the bat. De La Cruz's offensive performance certainly didn't hurt his MLB All-Star Game candidacy with his batting average at .270 and his OPS up to .845. Now in front at 2-1, Cincinnati wasn't done in the fourth even though it probably should have been when Spencer Steer struck out for what should have been the third out of the at-bat. But Steer reached on a passed ball that rolled to the backstop after his swinging, third strike. Given the proverbial extra out to play with, the Reds capitalized. Jake Fraley singled to drive in Benson and Steer for a 4-1 lead. Advertisement National League All-Star candidate Andrew Abbott was cruising along in the meantime. The 4-1 lead was intact into the sixth inning, and Abbott was good enough to be out of that inning but for third baseman Encarnacion-Strand's error on a throw to first base on a routine ground ball. TJ Friedl heads out of the batter's box after connecting on his two-run, sixth-inning double that capped the Reds' second comeback of the game in their 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins Tuesday, June. 17. The throw pulled Steer off the bag, allowing Ty France to reach. Now, Minnesota had been gifted an out. They made it count. Two singles followed France, the second of which was hit by Trevor Larnach and drove France in. Then, Harrison Bader clapped a three-run homer to right field. Fraley got leather on the ball at the wall but couldn't secure the catch as the ball deflected off his glove, onto the top of the right-field wall and eventually over. The Twins led, 5-4. Advertisement "I think it was a difficult play and he got turned around, and that made it more difficult," Francona said. "It's a shame because we get to the third out in the sixth and (Abbott's). We're thinking probably send him back out. Not only does that not happen but the inning got extended. You know, a three-run homer that goes off of Jake's glove. That was unfortunate." Asked about Bader's homer run, Fraley said: "Sometimes you make plays and sometimes you don't and he hit it well. Didn't think that it was gonna go too far and then switched my hips and the realized 'OK, I'm probably gonna have to jump up over the wall here to get to it... Just didn't stick in the glove." Fraley and Reds fired right back. Again with two outs, Fraley and Matt McLain singled to put runners on first and second. Friedl then lofted his double into right-center field to drive in both runners and retake the lead at 6-5. Abbott was off the hook for a decision at that point. His record remained at 6-1 with a 1.84 ERA. Just one of the five runs against him was earned. Reds starter Andrew Abbott couldn't get out of a messy sixth inning in which the Twins scored four runs, all unearned. Abbott pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs, one earned, on eight hits. He struck out five and walked none, lowering his ERA to 1.84. "I credit our defense a lot. I'm still gonna sit here and credit them," Abbott said. "They've done a lot for me in every game up to this point. We all have our days. Those guys are gonna put in the work tomorrow and come back ready to go." Advertisement Barlow tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Tony Santillan added a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, and Págan closed the door. "Barlow gave us four big outs," Francona said. "He was the biggest cog tonight. He really pitched well." This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds take series opener from Minnesota Twins
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'Amazing.' The Reds' Tyler Callihan is progressing from his broken arm. Here's the latest
The most notable sight for anyone entering the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse on Wednesday was surely Tyler Callihan. Callihan on May 5 was forced out of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Five days after his MLB debut, Callihan suffered multiple fractures in his left forearm on a play Reds pitcher Brady Singer called 'gruesome to watch,' crashing into the wall in foul territory, glove first, at full speed after what looked like a catch. Advertisement Reds Twins series TJ Friedl Cincinnati Reds fight back to take series opener from Minnesota Twins Reds injuries pitching Graham Ashcraft Cincinnati Reds lose Graham Ashcraft to injury. Here's what we know Forty-four days later, Callihan was situated at a locker room stall at Great American Ball Park. Glove in-hand, he later jogged toward the tunnel that leads toward the Reds' dugout. Reds manager Terry Francona called Callihan's return to the field "amazing." Francona also cautioned the recovery process is ongoing. Tyler Callihan was back in the Reds clubhouse June 18 after suffering multiple fractures in his left forearm when he crashed into the wall in left field attempting to make a catch on May 5. "There's some other things that he's gonna work through," Francona said. "We'll get to that, I think, here in the near future but he's got some decisions to make on how to go with this, so when the time's right, we'll talk about it." Graham Ashcraft 'says he's already feeling a little better' Francona elaborated on Graham Ashcraft's right groin strain situation during his Wednesday meeting with reporters. Ashcraft on Tuesday was put on the 15-day injured list due to the ailment. Advertisement Francona said Wednesday Ashcraft was unsure of how the injury happened, and that it may have been a persistent, nagging one. The first-year Reds manager also added that Ashcraft, who transitioned to a high-leverage relief role this season, is feeling better. Reliever Graham Ashcraft was placed on the injured list Tuesday, June 17 with a strained groin. Manager Terry Francona did say Wednesday Ashcraft was already feeling better. "He said he'd been feeling it for a little while but then he'd pitch, next day he'd be fine," Francona said. "This time in Detroit (Sunday), he felt it a little more but still felt like he (was OK). And then when he got through the day off (Monday) and still felt it, that's when he came in here, so we went and got it looked at. "He says he's already feeling a little better today. I think sometimes, the hope is when guys are trying to compete, when you pull the plug on that part of it and their brain relaxes a little bit, maybe it helps everything." Austin Hays' outlook looking up? Austin Hays might be on the mend and finally tracking toward a return from his third IL stint in 2025. Advertisement Hays' anticipated return last week was scuttled and pushed back due to persistent pain. The pain led to a second MRI on his injured left foot Wednesday, June 11. Hays expected to rejoin the lineup during last week's series win in Cleveland, but after continuing to experience pain during a series of pregame running drills Tuesday, the decision was made to get more testing Wednesday. Newcomer Austin Hays has been productive when in the Reds' lineup, hitting .303 with six home runs, 25 RBIs and a .901 OPS in 31 games, but is on trying to get back from his third stint on the injured list. Hays reported back to the Reds Tuesday, June 17 after an off day, and felt really good, Francona said. "We're gonna have him run in the water and hopefully do some baseball activities, but not necessarily go straight into sprinting yet," Francona said. "Gonna give him a day just because he went from the weekend where he wasn't doing anything. So far, the returns are good." Advertisement Hays is on the IL for the third time this season, all for things related to the left leg. In between IL stints, he's hitting .303 with six home runs, 25 RBIs and a .901 OPS in 31 games. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Amazing.' The latest on Cincinnati Reds' Tyler Callihan's recovery
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Tough mudders: Reds improving approach when rain interferes at GABP
If you sense that rain has been a pervasive theme in the 2025 Cincinnati Reds' season, you're right. And in no game was that more evident than Wednesday's rain-shortened win. More than three hours of combined weather delays at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday resulted in a Reds' 4-2 victory. The game was called around midnight with two outs and a runner on as right fielder Jake Fraley batted in the bottom of the sixth inning. Advertisement With a 12:40 p.m. first pitch looming for the following afternoon, the game became the fifth weather-shortened game in Great American Ball Park history. The rain starts to pour during the Reds vs. Diamondbacks game at Great American Ball Park on Friday June 6, 2025. The Reds are used to weather interruptions. In fact, they planned for them in spring training to an extent. Reds Twins series Spencer Steer The Reds win another series. They beat the Twins in a rain-shortened game to do it Reds injuries updates Austin Hays 'Amazing.' The Reds' Tyler Callihan is progressing from his broken arm. Here's the latest "In spring training, we talked about (rain delays). It happens to everybody, and I know it happens a lot here, but we gotta be the team that when it's time to play, you're ready to play," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "Not like, 'oh, we've got to play,' because that can creep in. (Wednesday), it's hard, especially for your starting pitcher, but everybody all of a sudden, it's like, 'OK, here we go.' And they've been sitting around for three hours. It's not easy but I think if you handle it better, you give yourself a better chance to win." Advertisement The more than three hours of combined rain delays on Wednesday brought the Great American Ball Park's season-long total to nearly 10 hours worth of weather-related interruptions. Wednesday's contest was the 10th Reds game impacted by rain this season, home and away, with eight of those games being delayed. A June 6 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was suspended and completed the next day. An April 29 game against the St. Louis Cardinals was rained out and made up the next day as part of a day-night doubleheader. Overall, the Reds have a losing record in games impacted by rain (4-6), but they've won their last two at home when rain interfered. On Wednesday, after the initial 2:07 rain delay that forced the game to start at 9:15 p.m., there was a threat for more rain to arrive later in the night. There was a sense that the game might be a race to get ahead in time for the second round of precipitation in case it caused the end of the game before nine innings were played. Advertisement Had the Reds played the game with weather in mind − Francona said they didn't − it almost went perfectly. Cincinnati took the lead in the bottom of the first inning, tacked on run, and didn't look back. On the defensive side, they played and pitched soundly. "We didn't know it was going to be shortened," Francona said. "I'm always of the opinion that adding on is very good for us regardless of how many innings we're gonna play." A storm delays the MLB game between Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo was credited with a complete game for his six innings of work. Lodolo's outing, plus Andrew Abbot's complete game, nine-inning outing against the Cleveland Guardians on June 10, made 2025 the Reds' first season with multiple complete games since 2020. Advertisement "Obviously, you just want to keep going," Lodolo said. "You can't try to pitch to that (the rain) or anything. I had no idea what was going to happen. So, you go as long as you can until, basically like today, it happened to work out pretty good for us." As for biding time during rain delays, Francona said his activities vary. "Different stuff," he said. "Play cribbage with 'Nap' (bench coach Mike Napoli). Just try to pass the time... Only so much you can do." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tough mudders: Reds improving approach when rain interferes at GABP
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The Reds win another series. They beat the Twins in a rain-shortened game to do it
Think the Cincinnati Reds mind a rain-shortened win? Unlikely. Not when the that win extended the club's win streak to four games on the run, plus four consecutive series victories. The Reds game with the Minnesota Twins Wednesday night, June 18 was called a little before midnight after the second rain delay of the game. The Reds will go for a series sweep of the Twins on Thursday afternoon (12:40 p.m.) after taking Wednesday's weather-plagued tilt, 4-2. The tarp was placed over the infield with two outs in the Reds' at-bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, and that was the last of the action for the night. Advertisement Reds injuries news updates 'Amazing.' The Reds' Tyler Callihan is progressing from his broken arm. Here's the latest The win improved the Reds to 39-35, and pulled them to within a half-game of the last of three National League wild card positions. While it might be too early to be thinking about playoff seeding, it's not too early for Cincinnati to be positioning itself for contention, and that's what the club has achieved in winning nine of its last 11 games. "It's fluid," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "It's always fluid. Somebody's gonna be hot. Somebody's not. It's always, it's just fluid." Cincinnati Reds line up for the National Anthem before the MLB game between Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. After a 2:07 rain delay to start the night at Great American Ball Park, the Twins' Byron Buxton christened the occasion with a lead-off, first-pitch home run for a 1-0 lead. Advertisement Ex-Twin Spencer Steer erased that deficit quickly, hammering a two-run homer to right field in the bottom of the first inning. With more weather bearing down on Greater Cincinnati, the Reds tacked on one run apiece in the second and third innings. Matt McLain's second-inning single plated Jose Trevino, and Will Benson notched his third RBI of the series in the third when his single drove in Steer, who doubled. First baseman Spencer Steer 7) hits a double in the third inning of the Wednesday, June 18 game against the Twins at Great American Ball Park. Steer had hit a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Reds a 2-1 lead. "We didn't know it was going to be shortened, so I'm always of the opinion that adding on is very good for us regardless of how many innings we're gonna play," Francona said. All the while, Cincinnati starting pitcher Nick Lodolo pitched with a command and an efficiency that suited the meteorological pressures of the night, although Lodolo said he wasn't "pitching to" the weather. Advertisement Lodolo (5-5) needed 87 pitches to get through six innings of two-run baseball. Reliever Brent Suter was warming up for the Reds when the game was halted by rain for the second time. "Other than the first pitch of the game, he was really good," Francona said. "He was good." Nick Lodolo gave the Reds a quality start Wednesday, June 18. Lodolo pitched six innings, allowing two runs. He gave up three hits and two walks while striking out four. Twins starter Bailey Ober was in the process of finishing the sixth inning when the game was halted with Jake Fraley leading in the count, 1-0. Trevino had singled to reach first base. Neither club saw a reliever touch the mound beyond the bullpen, which should aid both teams well in Thursday's series finale. The Reds are scheduled to send Nick Martinez (4-7, 3.92 ERA) out to claim the sweep of the three-game set against Minnesota's Chris Paddock (2-6, 4.30 ERA). This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The Reds win another series. They beat the Twins in a rain-shortened game
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Cincinnati Reds cool off in St. Louis heat, lose opener to Cardinals
ST. LOUIS – It was so hot in St. Louis on Friday night that the Cincinnati Reds' bullpen melted. Wait'll it gets even hotter this weekend – over 95 degrees – when the Reds try to patch over the hole in the starting rotation left by Wade Miley's elbow injury. Advertisement After three relievers and an infield error turned a close game into a 6-1 Reds loss to the Cardinals on Friday, June 20, the Reds plan to start left-hander Brent Suter on a bullpen day to cover Miley's vacated spot Saturday. Rookie Chase Petty was with the club on the taxi squad Friday, and manager Terry Francona said before the game that Petty would be activated Saturday, possibly for the start or bulk innings. After the loss Francona said his taxed bullpen was "OK" entering Saturday and was firmly mum on plans for Petty. Reds pitching injuries Wade Miley Wade Miley's future as uncertain as Cincinnati Reds' rotation depth after flexor injury Advertisement Reds Tony Perez Big Red Machine 'I cried.' How Tony Perez defined rise and fall of Big Red Machine Until then they'll try to cool their heels after a 10-batter, 86-degree, five-run Cardinals seventh inning against three Reds relievers buried the Reds in the opener of a three-game division series – their second straight loss after winning nine of 11. Scott Barlow, Taylor Rogers and Tony Santillan combined to walk three, hit a batter and give up two hits – although to be fair to Santillan, he got a two-out grounder from the first batter he faced, and third baseman Gavin Lux threw it away as two runs scored. Lars Nootbar followed with a run-scoring single. "Good teams that feel good about themselves, you give them extra opportunities and extra chances, it's rare where it doesn't hurt you," Francona said. Brady Singer allowed only one run in six innings in the Reds' 6-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals Friday, June 20. Singer allowed only four hits and struck out seven while walking one. He left with the Reds trailing 1-0. On the day Miley took the Reds' last semblance of experienced rotation depth to the bullpen, Reds veteran Brady Singer pitched his third quality start in his last four outings, retiring the final nine batters he faced and allowing just one run over six innings. Advertisement Three times in the game he stranded guys after they hit doubles, including Lars Nootbar, who doubled leading off the fourth and was stranded at third. The only run Singer allowed was the result of a leadoff hit batter in the third. After a fielder's choice and a Masyn Winn double, Alec Burleson drove in the run with a sacrifice fly. "Boy, did he battle," Francona said. "Six innings, and there was some traffic, and he gave up one. A lot of nights we're talking about, 'Hey, that was a great job and way to go.' " Matt McLain, here making a play in the first inning against the Cardinals June 20, went 1-for-2 with a walk and a single to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, the loser when the Reds beat the Cards at home in his last start against them April 28, pitched into the seventh, departing only after allowing a leadoff single to Elly De La Cruz – just the second Reds hit of the game. Advertisement The first one came with two out in the third on an opposite-field single by long-slumping, recently warming Matt McLain. He also walked in the eighth and has an eight-game hitting streak. The Reds, who caught the Cardinals in the standings last weekend, fell two games behind them with Friday's loss, their third in five games this season against St. Louis. The Reds are 10-14 in the division so far with a winning record against only last-place Pittsburgh (4-2). This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds cool off in St. Louis heat, lose opener to Cardinals
