Cincinnati Reds: Late-game rally turns tide

The Cincinnati Reds’ quest for a perfect 162-0 season lives on after Opening Day. Trailing from the second inning, the Reds looked doomed for a loss to last season’s cellar-dwelling Philadelphia Phillies. But a five-run rally in the bottom of the eighth propelled the Redlegs to a 6-2 win.

Starter Raisel Iglesias went six strong innings, allowing just six hits and one two-run homerun, with a game-best seven punchouts. Jumbo Diaz, Tony Cingrani, Ross Ohlendorf and J.J. Hoover combined to allow zero hits and just one walk over the next three innings, with Ohlendorf — in just 1/3 inning of work — credited with the win. 

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Iglesias dazzles … and struggles

Raisel Iglesias pitched — albeit against the Phillies — a strong game and gave the Reds’ offense a chance for a late-inning rally. But despite his early 10.5 K/9 ratio through one start, Iglesias still struggled with his pitch count. After missing time a year ago with a strain oblique, presumably due to being “overworked” as he got acclimated to pitching every fifth day, learning to manage his pitch count in 2016 will be crucial to sustained success over the course of six months. In Monday’s opener, he had about 70 pitches through four innings. He was pushing 20 pitches per inning. Iglesias cleaned it up in his final two frames, finishing with 90 pitches (66 strikes) over six innings. Regardless, his outing bodes well for Cincinnati as the season progresses.

Cozart perfect in Game 1

Zack Cozart, in his first regular season game since June 10 of last season, went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish on Monday including the game-tying RBI in the eighth inning. He finished with a single and two doubles out of the leadoff spot — a spot he will hold until Billy Hamilton works his way back into the spot … if and when that happens. One knock on Cozart? He saw just 12 pitches in four at-bats, which could be higher out of the No. 1 spot, but the Reds certainly won’t take issue with it if he keeps hitting like that. 

Bruce and Votto did what they’re supposed to

Joey Votto and Jay Bruce — the No. 3 and 5 hitters in the Reds lineup — were hitless through seven innings. But as the middle-of-the-lineup cogs, they made their presence felt in what became the game-changing eighth inning rally. Votto, with three strikeouts prior, roped a 2 RBI-single to center before Bruce nearly cleared the bases with another 2 RBI-single to center. In addition to the clutch, late-inning hits, Votto and Bruce combined to take 39 pitches in eight at-bats, a strong number for the Reds’ run producers in what was an otherwise disappointing game.

NOTES:

• The Reds only left three runners on base
• They played a clean game with no errors
• Scott Schebler went 1-for-1 with a double in a pinch-hit appearance
• Billy Hamilton, out of the nine-hole, went 0-2 with a BB, K and a run scored
• The Reds set the regular season attendance record at Great American Ballpark with 43,683 (103.2% of the regular season capacity)