Cincinnati Reds Break Losing Streak With 10-Run Inning Against Tigers

By Matt Wilkes | Aug 24, 2015

. 5. 63. 12. 61

W: Collin Balester (1-0)

L: Al Alburquerque (3-1)

Through five innings of the Cincinnati Reds’ makeup game with the Detroit Tigers on Monday, it seemed almost certain that their losing stretch would reach double digits. The sixth inning changed that. The Reds jumped all over Tigers’ pitching for 10 runs in the inning, ultimately running away with a 12-5 win to snap their nine-game losing skid.

Before the offensive explosion in the sixth, Reds starter Keyvius Sampson turned in a subpar outing for the second start in row. The Tigers jumped on him for four runs in the first inning, scoring on a three-run bomb from J.D. Martinez and a solo homer by Nick Castellanos. Miguel Cabrera provided another run in the fourth on an RBI double. Considering the way the Reds’ offense has been struggling of late, a 5-0 deficit seemed insurmountable.

Then the bats came alive. Eugenio Suarez started the scoring with a solo home run and the Reds tacked on two more runs when Brandon Phillips roped a two-run shot into the left field seats to further close the gap. The home runs knocked rookie starter Buck Farmer from the game, but the Reds weren’t done.

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Todd Frazier reached on a bunt single and raced home on a double by next batter Jay Bruce. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and Skip Schumaker lifted a soft line drive into center field to score two and give the Reds a 6-5 advantage. Suarez extended the lead to three with his second hit of the inning, a two-run double, and Phillips added his second hit of the sixth, a two-run triple, to double up the Tigers, 10-5.

To recap: the Reds had 10 runs, seven hits, and four walks off of four Tigers pitchers in one inning. Now that’s a way to break out of a cold spell.

For good measure, Joey Votto destroyed the first pitch he saw from Guido Knudson in the eighth inning, sending a towering home run to right field that probably still hasn’t landed (the actual estimated distance was 442 feet) to extend the Reds’ lead to seven.

Collin Balester picked up his first major league win since May 15, 2012, pitching two shutout innings in relief of Sampson in his second game with the Reds. Burke Badenhop, J.J. Hoover, and Aroldis Chapman also saw action, each throwing a scoreless frame.

Other Notes:

In addition to his 24th home run of the season, Votto scored two other times and walked three times, giving him 103 free passes on the year.
Suarez also scored a trio of runs in addition to his three hits against his former team.
Everyone in the Reds lineup except pinch-hitter Ivan De Jesus Jr. scored at least one run as the Reds sent 14 batters to the plate in the 10-run sixth.

Up Next: The Dodgers will be in town to start a three-game series with the Reds starting on Tuesday. John Lamb will be making his third big league start in game one and will face off against fellow southpaw Alex Wood, who shut the Reds down last time the two teams met. First pitch is set for the usual 7:10 p.m. EST.

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