Frazier lifts Reds to Opening Day win over Pirates
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Cincinnati Reds scored their first run of the season on a balk, and their ace Johnny Cueto collected his 1,000th career strikeout … and those weren't even what fans left the ball park talking about.
Todd Frazier was on the minds of all Reds rooters on Opening Day, with the third baseman sending the 43,633 fans in a frenzy with a three-run eighth-inning home run that sealed the win over the Pittsburgh Pirates by a 5-2 score.
"It (a win) is great for us, especially being up 2-0, losing some momentum when they tied it in the eighth, and certainly Frazier's three-run home was the big blow," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It was a great feeling for us collectively."
Cincinnati's eighth inning was interesting, to say the least. After a strikeout to begin the inning, Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto each singled, then Hamilton stole third with Frazier at the plate.
You could call his at-bat the day Frazier owned Cincinnati, with the third baseman sending the baseball 432 feet over the left field wall to put the Reds in the lead for good by three runs, breaking a 2-2 tied score.
"I was looking for a sacrifice fly, but I saw (Watson's) second pitch was a change up, so I saw both pitches," Frazier said. "I said he might try to come in, and I got one out over a little bit and did a little more.
"It was one of the no-doubters …. you feel it off the bat. It was perfect."
Even with the late-inning heroics of Frazier, what can't be overlooked was the pitching of Cueto.
Cueto left the game with a two-run lead after seven innings, but the Reds bullpen couldn't keep the momentum or the lead, leaving Cueto with nothing but a no-decision.
The ace of the Reds staff, Cueto continued from where he left off from last season, a season where he was second in the NL Cy Young Award voting, opening the '15 season with seven strong innings.
Cueto dedicated his performance to his mother.
"I want to thank God, and dedicate the win to my mom," Cueto said through translator Tomas Vera. "She's doing great, outstanding, and this game was for her."
In the no-decision, Cueto allowed no runs on four hits and one walk. He struck out 10 batters in 100 pitches, 70 of which went for strikes.
"All of my pitches were low, and I was able to control that," Cueto said. "Everything I did was working the way I wanted."
Price also spoke about his ace.
"I don't know where to even start ... I feel like I'm picking up from last year," Price said. "He weathered the rain delay and came back out and threw the ball beautifully.
"He had the whole mix, the full turn, the abbreviated windup, he had command and he and Devin were on the same page. He never got himself into a lot of trouble and was just phenomenal.
"I didn't anticipate him being that sharp. He had somewhat of a limited spring, having to spend a week and a half at home over a family issue. He came back and gave us a great opportunity to win this game."
It seemed like the Reds were going to be able to glide to a victory with the performance of Cueto. They eventually did win, but it wasn't as smooth as it could have been thanks to the Pirates.
Pittsburgh had other plans, and they became a reality in the top of the eighth.[[In-content Ad]]
With Cueto out of the game following his 100-pitch outing after seven complete, Kevin Gregg came in as reliever for the Reds ace, but he left fans angry, as they gave him a chorus of boos when he left the mound after giving up a two-run home run.
The first batter Gregg faced was Andrew Lambo, and he forced a 13-pitch at-bat, though it eventually turned into an out.
That was followed by a one-pitch at-bat to Josh Harrison, who singled to left field. Marlon Byrd came up with a running catch to the left field wall for the second out, but Gregg couldn't finish the inning, with McCutchen hitting a two-run, 383-foot home run to right-centerfield, turning a two-run, two-out deficit into a tied score at 2-2.
Manny Parra pitched to one batter, allowing a hit, but Jumbo Diaz cleaned up the mess left for him and ended the inning by striking out Starling Marte.
As for the Reds, they scored their first two runs in the third and fourth innings.
The bottom of the third began with Pirates starter Francisco Liriano walking Cueto, but he was eventually out on a fielder's choice hit into by Hamilton.
That was OK, though, because the Reds had speed on the bases, and all was forgiven. Former NL MVP Votto, batting second in the order, gained the Reds' first hit of the season with a single to centerfield, advancing Hamilton to third.
Here is where things got unique.
With Votto on first and Hamilton on third, the Pirates gave the Reds a run with Liriano being called for a balk, scoring Hamilton from third for the Reds' first run of the season.
Liriano had a no-decision for the Pirates, where he also pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and three walks. The Opening Day starter of the Pirates also struck out seven batters and had the aforementioned balk.
From there, following a 35-minute rain delay before the start of the sixth inning, Cueto continued from where he left off, starting the inning with two consecutive strikeouts. After allowing a single to former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, Cueto popped up Neil Walker to end the inning.
The second run that was added to the Reds' side of the scoreboard came in the fourth inning where Jay Bruce sent the ball sailing through the rain 403 feet into the right-centerfield stands for what was a two-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The save went to Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, who struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth, and recorded the third and final out by forcing a pop up to right field, into the glove of Bruce to end the game.
Check back to highlandcountypress.com for more on the Reds' Opening Day victory.
Todd Frazier was on the minds of all Reds rooters on Opening Day, with the third baseman sending the 43,633 fans in a frenzy with a three-run eighth-inning home run that sealed the win over the Pittsburgh Pirates by a 5-2 score.
"It (a win) is great for us, especially being up 2-0, losing some momentum when they tied it in the eighth, and certainly Frazier's three-run home was the big blow," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It was a great feeling for us collectively."
Cincinnati's eighth inning was interesting, to say the least. After a strikeout to begin the inning, Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto each singled, then Hamilton stole third with Frazier at the plate.
You could call his at-bat the day Frazier owned Cincinnati, with the third baseman sending the baseball 432 feet over the left field wall to put the Reds in the lead for good by three runs, breaking a 2-2 tied score.
"I was looking for a sacrifice fly, but I saw (Watson's) second pitch was a change up, so I saw both pitches," Frazier said. "I said he might try to come in, and I got one out over a little bit and did a little more.
"It was one of the no-doubters …. you feel it off the bat. It was perfect."
Even with the late-inning heroics of Frazier, what can't be overlooked was the pitching of Cueto.
Cueto left the game with a two-run lead after seven innings, but the Reds bullpen couldn't keep the momentum or the lead, leaving Cueto with nothing but a no-decision.
The ace of the Reds staff, Cueto continued from where he left off from last season, a season where he was second in the NL Cy Young Award voting, opening the '15 season with seven strong innings.
Cueto dedicated his performance to his mother.
"I want to thank God, and dedicate the win to my mom," Cueto said through translator Tomas Vera. "She's doing great, outstanding, and this game was for her."
In the no-decision, Cueto allowed no runs on four hits and one walk. He struck out 10 batters in 100 pitches, 70 of which went for strikes.
"All of my pitches were low, and I was able to control that," Cueto said. "Everything I did was working the way I wanted."
Price also spoke about his ace.
"I don't know where to even start ... I feel like I'm picking up from last year," Price said. "He weathered the rain delay and came back out and threw the ball beautifully.
"He had the whole mix, the full turn, the abbreviated windup, he had command and he and Devin were on the same page. He never got himself into a lot of trouble and was just phenomenal.
"I didn't anticipate him being that sharp. He had somewhat of a limited spring, having to spend a week and a half at home over a family issue. He came back and gave us a great opportunity to win this game."
It seemed like the Reds were going to be able to glide to a victory with the performance of Cueto. They eventually did win, but it wasn't as smooth as it could have been thanks to the Pirates.
Pittsburgh had other plans, and they became a reality in the top of the eighth.[[In-content Ad]]
With Cueto out of the game following his 100-pitch outing after seven complete, Kevin Gregg came in as reliever for the Reds ace, but he left fans angry, as they gave him a chorus of boos when he left the mound after giving up a two-run home run.
The first batter Gregg faced was Andrew Lambo, and he forced a 13-pitch at-bat, though it eventually turned into an out.
That was followed by a one-pitch at-bat to Josh Harrison, who singled to left field. Marlon Byrd came up with a running catch to the left field wall for the second out, but Gregg couldn't finish the inning, with McCutchen hitting a two-run, 383-foot home run to right-centerfield, turning a two-run, two-out deficit into a tied score at 2-2.
Manny Parra pitched to one batter, allowing a hit, but Jumbo Diaz cleaned up the mess left for him and ended the inning by striking out Starling Marte.
As for the Reds, they scored their first two runs in the third and fourth innings.
The bottom of the third began with Pirates starter Francisco Liriano walking Cueto, but he was eventually out on a fielder's choice hit into by Hamilton.
That was OK, though, because the Reds had speed on the bases, and all was forgiven. Former NL MVP Votto, batting second in the order, gained the Reds' first hit of the season with a single to centerfield, advancing Hamilton to third.
Here is where things got unique.
With Votto on first and Hamilton on third, the Pirates gave the Reds a run with Liriano being called for a balk, scoring Hamilton from third for the Reds' first run of the season.
Liriano had a no-decision for the Pirates, where he also pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and three walks. The Opening Day starter of the Pirates also struck out seven batters and had the aforementioned balk.
From there, following a 35-minute rain delay before the start of the sixth inning, Cueto continued from where he left off, starting the inning with two consecutive strikeouts. After allowing a single to former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, Cueto popped up Neil Walker to end the inning.
The second run that was added to the Reds' side of the scoreboard came in the fourth inning where Jay Bruce sent the ball sailing through the rain 403 feet into the right-centerfield stands for what was a two-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The save went to Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, who struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth, and recorded the third and final out by forcing a pop up to right field, into the glove of Bruce to end the game.
Check back to highlandcountypress.com for more on the Reds' Opening Day victory.