Cincinnati Reds’ Offense Comes Back to Life in 11-7 Win Over Twins

W: Nate Adcock (1-1)

L: Mike Pelfrey (5-5)

A return home to Great American Ball Park was all the Cincinnati Reds needed to get their offense rolling again, as they took down the Minnesota Twins on Monday evening, 11-7.

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Billy Hamilton ignited the Reds from the leadoff spot, reaching base for times and swiping four bases to extend his league-leading steals total to 40. The center fielder led off the game with a bunt single, moved to third on a hit by Ivan De Jesus Jr., and scored on a single by Todd Frazier. Two more runs would score in the first on a Jay Bruce sacrifice fly and a Tucker Barnhart single, his first of a career-high four hits.

But the Reds were nowhere near done.

Hamilton made things happen again in the second as he walked, stole second and third, and scored on a single by De Jesus, who also reached base four times in the game.

The big inning came next as the Reds tallied five runs in the third, sending 10 batters to the plate in the process. Barnhart started the scoring with an RBI single and scored on a two-run double by Eugenio Suarez. That made it 7-1 and chased Twins’ starter Mike Pelfrey from the game after he recorded just seven outs. Things didn’t get easier for reliever Alex Meyer, as Hamilton and De Jesus worked walks to load the bases for Joey Votto, who drove home two more runs with a single.

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With an eight-run lead in hand, it seemed Mike Leake would easily roll to his sixth win of the year. Unfortunately, it’s never that easy for the 2015 Reds. Leake gave up six runs in the fourth, including a three-run home run to Brian Dozier, allowing the Twins to pull within two. The right-hander’s night was done following the ugly inning, having surrendered seven runs on nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

Fortunately for Leake and the Reds, the bullpen was able to continue their collective hot streak as they shut down the Twins for the remainder of the contest. Nate Adcock picked up the win after pitching two scoreless innings, striking out two and walking two. Manny Parra then followed with two perfect innings and Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth.

Meanwhile, the Reds were able to add to their lead on a squeeze bunt by Suarez in the sixth and a two-out double by Bruce in the seventh.

All in all, the Reds collected 17 hits on the day and every position player in the starting lineup had a hit except for two players: Frazier and Votto. Baseball is strange.

Up Next: The Reds will look to keep the offense flowing as they take on Phil Hughes in game two of the series. On the mound, Anthony DeSclafani will look to pick up his sixth win of the season. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Next: Reds swept by Mets