CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
RED HOTS
• In Thu’s night’s game, Jason Vosler’s RBI single in the 7th inning snapped a streak of 24 innnings without scoring a run…It was the longest streak since a 24-inning scoreless streak from 8/4-8/7/2020.
• On Tuesday the Reds and RHP Hunter Greene agreed to a $53 million, 6-year contract extension through the 2028 season that included a $21 million option and $2 million buyout for 2029.
TONIGHT’S GAME
• Is Game 3 (0-2) of a 4-game road trip, all at Pit’s PNC Park.
• The Reds are coming off a 3-4 homestand vs the defending National League champion Phillies (2-2) and Rays (1-2).
• Following this series the Reds return to Great American Ball Park for a quick 3-game homestand vs the Rangers before heading out to face the Athletics (3g) and Padres (3g) in the first of their 3 trips to the West Coast.
SERIES NOTES
• The Reds earned a 2-1 series win vs Pit in the series that opened this 2023 championship season.
• The Reds went 14-29 at Pit’s PNC Park the previous 5 seasons, including an 11-game losing streak spanning 2018-2019 and an 8-game losing streak there to begin the 2019 season.
• Beginning in 2021 at Great American Ball Park, the Reds are 14-8 vs Pit with a 134-78 advantage in runs scored…the Reds have won 22 of the
last 41 games overall vs the Pirates, including 19 of the last 28 games vs Pit at GABP.
RANGERS UP NEXT
• The Redlegs are 9-10 all-time vs the Rangers, including 6-5 at Great American Ball Park.
• Beginning Monday the Reds and Rangers will meet for the eighth time overall and for the first time since 2019, also at GABP.
• The Reds haven’t played in Arlington since 2016.
• The Reds are coming off their only interleague series of the season, a 1-2 series loss vs the Rays at Great American Ball Park.
• From 1997-2022 the Redlegs went 188-247 vs the American League, at .432 the lowest interleague winning percentage of any Major League
team…in 2022 the Reds went 12-8 vs AL teams (0-2 vs Cle, 2-0 at Cle 1-2 at Tor, 1-1 at Bos, 3-0 vs TB, 2-1 at NYY, 2-1 vs Bal, 1-1 vs Bos)…last season’s was their first winning record vs the American League since 2013 (11-9)…in the 8 seasons between the 2013 & 2022 season series wins, the Reds went 61-99 vs AL teams (.381).
LEADING OFF
• In the first inning, Reds batters rank 10th in the Major Leagues in batting average (.297), fifth in on-base percentage (.381).
• When leading off the Reds’ half of the first inning, Jonathan India is hitting .375 (.500obp, .688slg, 6-15, 3bb, 2 2b, 1hr, 6r).
• India’s 16 runs scored are tied for fifth-most in the Major Leagues.
• India’s 6 runs scored in the first inning are tied for fourth-most in the Major Leagues (NYY’s Aaron Judge, 9r).
Tonight’s Pitcher – #85 Luis Cessa, RHP
• Tonight is making his fourth appearance and start of the season…will be his 10th career appearance and third start vs the Pirates, his fifth career appearance and second start at PNC Park.
• In Sun’s 14-3 loss vs Phi, became the fifth pitcher since 1900 to allow at least 9 runs in the first inning and then pitch into the fourth (Mil’s Dave Bush 7/20/2010 at Pit, Col’s Mark Redman 4/26/2008 at LAD, SD’s Brett Tomko 8/9/2002 at Cin, Chi’s Nixey Callahan 9/6/1900 at Phi)…courtesy @EliasSports.
• Made his fifth Opening Day roster (2016, 2019, 2021 for NYY and 2022, 2023 for Cin).
• In 2022, in his second season with the Reds went 1-3, 4.30 in a career-high 10 starts and 3-1, 4.91 in 36 relief apps.
• In August 2022 joined and remained in the rotation after the Reds lost to trade or injury starting pitchers RHP Luis Castillo (to the Mariners), RHP Tyler Mahle (to the Twins), RHP Robert Dugger (right shoulder pain), RHP Hunter Greene (right shoulder strain), RHP Graham Ashcraft (right biceps soreness), RHP T.J. Zeuch (back soreness), RHP Justin Dunn (right shoulder tightness) and LHP Mike Minor (left shoulder soreness).
• Beginning 8/22 at Phi made his last 9 apps of the 2022 season as a starter (1-3, 3.77, .226baa).
• Between games of the day/night doubleheader vs Pit on 7/7/22 went on the 15-day injured list with a left intercostalis muscle strain…missed 20 games (13-7) until he was reinstated on 8/2, after RHP Tyler Mahle was traded to the Twins.
• After he came off the 15-day IL on 8/2, posted a 3.26 ERA (.211baa) in his last 15 apps and 9 starts of the season.
• During 2023 spring training made 1 appearance for Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
• Pitched the sixth and seventh innings of Mexico’s 10-inning, 5-4 loss vs Colombia in Arizona Pool C (2ip, 2h, 1er, 0bb, 1k, 25 pitches).
• Returned to the Reds after Mexico’s 5-4 quarterfinal win vs Puerto Rico and finished the spring with 1 “A” game appearance, started and received no decision in the 4-3 loss at Mil (3ip, 2h, 2er, 1bb, 2k).
• Is the only player, manager or coach in Reds history to wear uniform #85.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:..Have won a season-high five straight games and six of their last seven contests…Have not lost back-to-back games since dropping the final two contests of their season-opening series in Cincinnati…Are off to their best start since going 15-6 to begin the 1992 season.
HIGH FIVE: The Pirates enter today with a season-high five-game winning streak, which is the longest for the Bucs since also winning five in a row from April 14-20, 2019…A win tonight would give the Pirates their longest winning streak since racking up 11 straight victories from July 11-24, 2018…Pittsburgh’s five-game winning streak is also tied for the fourth-longest in all of MLB this season behind the Rays (13 straight from March 30 to April 13), Braves (eight in a row from April 10-18) and Brewers (six straight from April 1-7)… The Pirates have outscored their opponents 41-14 during their current five-game winning streak.
GETTING STRETCHED OUT: Pittsburgh’s starters have worked at least 6.0 innings in each of the last 11 games…During this current 11-game run of tossing at least 6.0 innings, Pittsburgh’s starting rotation has produced the best second-best ERA (2.39) in all of Major League Baseball behind the Cubs (2.30)…The last time Pittsburgh went more than 11 straight games with at least 6.0 innings from its starting pitching staff was from June 6-19, 2015 (13 games).
RICH ON THE HILL: Rich Hill will make his fifth start with the Pirates in game three of this four-game series…Hill earned his first win as a Pirate in his last outing Monday night at Colorado after allowing one run in 6.0 innings while recording a season-high tying seven strikeouts…Hill has allowed a combined three runs in 12.0 innings in his last two starts.
MAKE THAT A DOUBLE: Carlos Santana recorded his seventh double of the season last night that helped extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-2 in the seventh inning…Since April 5, Santana’s seven doubles are tied for the most in all of MLB along with Ian Happ, Francisco Lindor and Sean Murphy.
GO JOE: Connor Joe is 9-for-16 with three doubles, a triple, home run and four RBI in his last four games…Beginning with the action on April 7, Joe ranks fifth in MLB in OPS (1.221) and slugging (.750), tied for fourth in total bases (33) and seventh in batting average (.386).
NEXT MAN UP: Mark Mathias has gone 8-for-18 (.444) with a double and four RBI in his last five games after going 0-for10 in his first three games with the Pirates after being promoted from Indianapolis on April 10 when Oneil Cruz was placed on the injured list…Mathias is also 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position with the Pirates this season and a .381 career hitter (16-for-42) in those situations.
PEN POWER: Pittsburgh’s bullpen has recorded a Major League-leading 10 saves (the Blue Jays are second with nine)… Individually, David Bednar’s seven saves are tied for the most in MLB along with Toronto’s Jordan Romano…The Pirates bullpen has also surrendered just three home runs this season, which are tied for the fewest in MLB along with Texas.
PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF: Robert Stephenson has tossed 3.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits in 14 at-bats in his first five appearances since being reinstated from the injured list on April 14…Since being claimed off waivers by the Pirates from Colorado on August 27, Stephenson has produced a 2.65 ERA (17.0ip/5er), 22 strikeouts, 0.82 WHIP and .197 batting average against in 22 appearances with Pittsburgh.
THE OUTFIELD: Pittsburgh’s outfielders have hit 13 home runs, which are the third-most in all of MLB behind the Dodgers (15) and Mariners (14)…Pittsburgh’s outfielders also rank third in all of MLB in RBI (45) and total bases (121), second in slugging (.524) and fourth in OPS (.867).
PIRATING: The Pirates are tied for third in all of MLB with 22 stolen bases coming into today…The only two teams in MLB with more stolen bases are the Guardians (26) and Orioles (25)…Pittsburgh ranked 14th in MLB in stolen bases last year.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE: The Pirates have the fifth-best run differential (+22) in the National League coming into today…The only four National League teams with a better run differential are the Cubs (+48), Brewers (+33), Braves (+30) and Mets (+23).
STARTING PITCHER – 44 – LHP RICH HILL
RICH HILL: The 43-year-old lefthander is making his fifth start this evening…Won a 14-3 decision (6.0ip/1er) in his last start Monday night at Colorado.
vs. CINCINNATI: 5-4 with a 3.61 ERA (72.1ip/29er) in 15 career appearances (13 starts)…Lost a 6-2 decision (5.0ip/3er) in his Pirates debut on 4/1 at Cincinnati.
