CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTIONS
- The Reds today selected from Louisville the contract of OF Henry Ramos (#31)…optioned to Louisville IF/OF Nick Senzel…designated for assignment RHP Eduardo Salazar…sent to Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment C Curt Casali (left foot contusion)…sent to the Arizona Complex League Reds LHP Nick Lodolo (left calf tendinosis).
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 1 of a brief 3-game road trip, all at Pit’s beautiful PNC Park, and Game 7 (1-5) of a stretch in which the Reds will play 11 of 14 games at Great American Ball Park (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia, 0-0 at Pit, 2g vs Cle, 3g vs Tor).
- The Reds are coming off a 1-5 homestand (0-3 vs Wsh, 1-2 vs Mia).
SERIES NOTES
- The Reds are 2-5 vs Pit this season, both series in April and including 2-1 at Great American Ball Park and 0-4 at PNC Park.
- The Reds are 14-33 at Pit’s PNC Park the last 6 seasons, including an 11-game losing streak spanning 2018-2019 and an 8-game losing streak there to begin the 2019 season…are 0-4 there this year.
- From 4/20-4/23 the Reds were swept in a 4-game series at PNC Park for the first time since April 2019.
- The 2-0 loss on 4/23 at Pit was the Reds’ 100th loss at PNC Park.
BIG ROAD MACHINE
- Beginning 5/26, the Reds are 24-11 over their last 5 road trips covering 11 road series.
- The Reds lost 3 of their last 4 road series (1-2 at Mil, 1-2 at Mil, 2-1 at LAD, 1-3 at Chc) but have won 8 of their last 11 road series, including a streak of 7 straight road series wins snapped by the Brewers in the last series before the All-Star Game break…also lost at Mil in the first road series of the second half.
- From 5/26-7/6, the Reds won at least 7 straight road series for only the third time in their history (3-0 at Cubs, 2-1 at Bos, 2-1 at StL, 3-0 at KC, 3-0 at Hou, 2-1 at Bal, 4-0 at Wsh)…won 8 straight road series in 1923 (7/2-8/25) and 1976 (6/25-8/12)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Went 8-1 on their road trip to StL (2-1), KC (3-0) and Hou (3-0)…for only the second time ever, won 8 games on a road trip of 9 games or fewer (8-0, 9/21-9/27, 1964)…was their first road trip of any length with at least 8 wins since 5/28-6/9, 1999 (9-3)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- The 10-3 loss on 6/26 at Bal snapped the Reds’ 8-game road winning streak, tied for the second-longest streak in the Major Leagues this season.
RUNNING MEN
- The Reds lead the Major Leagues with 130 stolen bases (TB 2nd, 123sb), their highest total since 2016 (139sb)…in 2022, the Reds recorded 58 steals…are trying to lead the National League in stolen bases for the first time since 2015 (134sb).
- The Reds recorded 50 stolen bases in June, their highest steals total in a calendar month since September 1912 (53sb).
- 5 times this season recorded at least 5 stolen bases in a game (6sb on 6/2 vs Mil, 9sb on 6/3 vs Mil, 5sb on 6/25 at Bal, 6sb on Tue at Wsh, 5sb on 7/8 at Mil)…prior to 6/2, the Reds hadn’t recorded 5 stolen bases in a game since 4/10/17 at Pit.
- Their 9 stolen bases on 6/3 vs Mil (Jake Fraley 3, Spencer Steer 2, Jonathan India 2, Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild) was their highest single-game total since 5/30/1976 vs LAD (9sb)…the Reds’ single-game record since 1900 for stolen bases in a game remains 10 (5/29/1913 at StL).
- With Elvis Peguero pitching, Elly De La Cruz on 7/8 at Mil became only the fourth Reds batter ever to steal second, third and home in the same inning (Hans Lobert 9/27/1908, Dode Paskert 5/23/1910, Greasy Neale 8/15/1919)…became the first Major League batter to steal second, third and home in the same inning since Mia’s Jon Berti did it on 8/25/2020 at NYM…became the first Reds batter with a straight steal of home since Brandon Phillips did it on 7/10/2009 at NYM.
RED HOTS
- 13 Reds players have made Major League debuts this season, the most in the Major Leagues (RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Eduardo Salazar, OF TJ Hopkins, LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz, RHP Ricky Karcher, RHP Randy Wynne, RHP Jake Wong, IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand, RHP Lyon Richardson)…17 rookies played in at least 1 game for the Reds.
- The Reds have used 54 players…RHP Michael Mariot was on the roster for 1 day (7/8) but did not appear in a game…in 2022, the Reds used a club record 66 players.
- The Reds are the first team in Major League history to move into first place alone in 9 games or fewer after falling 5 or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least 5 games…on 6/9 were 29-35 and trailed the first-place Pirates by 5.0 games…beginning 6/10 won 9 straight games to move into first place alone on 6/19…courtesy @OptaSTATS and @EliasSports.
- The Reds’ 12-game winning streak from 6/10-6/23 tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- The Reds went 18-9 in June, their highest victory total in any month since June 2014 (18-10).
- From 6/14-7/8 Reds batters established a new franchise record for consecutive games with at least 1 home run (22g, 45hr), a streak snapped in the 1-0 loss at Mil in the final game heading into the All-Star Game break…the 1956 Reds held the team record by homering in 21 consecutive games.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #41 Andrew Abbott, LHP
- Tonight is making his 12th Major League appearance and start, his first vs the Pirates.
- Since his debut on 6/5, ranks among the Major League leaders in starts (T2nd).
- Began his career with 17.2 scoreless innings, a new club record since 1893, until Col’s Brenton Doyle hit a leadoff HR in Abbott’s fourth start…the previous team record was held by Wayne Simpson, who in 1970 began his Major League career with 15.0 scoreless innings…@EliasSports.
- Abbott’s 16.0-inning scoreless streak was snapped in the second inning of the 6-5 win on 7/31 at Cubs…when snapped was tied for the longest active streak
in the Major Leagues. - Since 1893, when the mound was moved to its current distance, his 66 strikeouts were the second-most by a Reds pitcher in his first 10 career apps (73, Gary
Nolan, 1967)…courtesy @EliasSports. - Since 1912, when earned runs became an official statistic in the National League, his 1.90 ERA was the third-lowest by a Reds pitcher after 10 career starts (LHP Tom Browning, 1.65, 1984-85 & RHP Jim Konstanty, 1.89, 1944)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Is 1 of only 4 Reds pitchers since 1893, when the mound was moved to its current distance, to begin his career with 4 or 5 wins without a loss in his first 5 career starts (Mel D. Queen, 4-0 in 1967; Pat Zachry, 4-0 in 1976; Santo Alcala, 5-0 in 1976)…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893, is the only Major League pitcher to begin his career with 3 consecutive scoreless starts of at least 5.0 innings…@EliasSports.
- Has stopped losing streaks of 4, 2 and 3 games…in 7 starts overall following losses is 4-2, 2.09
PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:….gained a series split with their comeback win yesterday afternoon against the Braves…Have gone 11-9 in their last 20 games since losing each of their first five games following the All-Star break…Are in a stretch that has the team playing 16 straight days until their next scheduled off day on August 17…Have gone 2-0-3 in their last five series.
THE PIRATES PIPELINE: The Pirates have six players among the game’s top 100 prospects in the latest rankings released today by MLB Pipeline…Right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes, who was selected No. 1 overall in this year’s draft, ranks third among Pipeline’s top 100 prospects…The Pirates and Orioles share the organizational lead with six top 100 prospects apiece.
SECOND TO ONE: Johan Oviedo has allowed one or no runs in four of his last five and 11 of his 23 starts this season…According to Baseball Reference, the 11 starts of allowing one or no runs is tied for the second-most in MLB along with Shohei Ohtani, Yusei Kikuchi and Kevin Gausman… The only starter with more than 11 games with one or no runs allowed is Blake Snell (12).
ABOUT TONIGHT’S STARTER: Beginning with his outing on July 15, Johan Oviedo has recorded a 2.32 ERA (31.0ip/8er) in five starts…Among pitchers with at least 25.0 innings pitched since that date, Oviedo’s 2.32 ERA ranks fifth among all National League pitchers behind Blake Snell (1.73), Steven Matz (1.98), Corbin Burnes (2.08) and Graham Ashcraft (2.23).
HAVE YOURSELF A DAY: This afternoon Munhall native Gabby Barrett received the key to the city from Munhall Mayor Robert Falce in an on-field presentation ahead of her anticipated post-game concert…Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald was also on hand to present a proclamation to Barrett designating August 11, 2023 as “Gabby Barrett Day” in Allegheny County…Barrett will perform in concert following tonight’s game against the Reds…She has performed the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Pirates several times throughout her career…She last appeared in the area in August 2022, during a sold out show at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown while opening for Jason Aldean…Barrett’s Pittsburgh stop is part of her summer touring which also includes select dates supporting Kane Brown.
ON A SERIES NOTE: The Pirates are 2-0-3 in their last five series since losing two of three games on the road against the Angels from July 21-23…Since then Pittsburgh won its series on the road at San Diego and at home vs. Philadelphia before splitting a two-game series with Detroit and their past two four-game series, which came at Milwaukee and at home vs. Atlanta.
56 BUCS: Yesterday afternoon Thomas Hatch became the 56th different player to appear in a game this season for the Pirates… That’s the second-most players by any team in MLB this season…The Angels have used a MLB-leading 58 players this season.
SEEING RED: This is the first series between the Pirates and Reds since Pittsburgh swept the Reds in four games at PNC Park from April 20-23…The Bucs opened the 2023 season at Great American Ball Park and won on Opening Day before losing the next two games…Andrew McCutchen has 34 career home runs against the Reds…That’s the second-most among all active players (Anthony Rizzo has 36).
ANDREW ON THE BASES: Andrew McCutchen enters today with a 14-game on-base streak…That’s tied for the fifth-longest active on-base streak among all National League players along with teammate Bryan Reynolds (San Francisco’s Wilmer Flores has the longest active streak at 20 games).
REYNOLDS ROLLING: Bryan Reynolds brings a season-best 14-game on-base streak into today…Reynolds is hitting .364 (20-for-55) with a double, five home runs, eight RBI, .426 OBP, .655 slugging percentage and 1.081 OPS during his current streak…Reynolds’ 1.081 OPS since July 26 ranks eighth among all National League players.
HAYES’ HOMESTAND HIGHLIGHTS: Ke’Bryan Hayes has knocked in three runs apiece in three straight games…According to Baseball Reference, that’s the 14th time that a Pirate has put together that kind of streak in the modern era (since 1900)…Prior to Hayes, that last Pirate to accomplish that was Jason Bay from May 24-27, 2006…Hayes also tripled for the sixth time this season on Thursday (tied for the second-most in the National League)…Since the beginning of last year, his nine triples are tied for the fourth-most among National League players.
CALL TO THE PEN: Pittsburgh’s bullpen has recorded a 3.33 ERA (75.2ip/28er) since July 22, which is the seventh-lowest ERA in all of MLB…The Mariners have a league-best 1.94 ERA in that time…Since July 22, Pittsburgh’s bullpen also has the most strikeouts (86) in MLB (Detroit ranks second with 81) and the fourth-lowest batting average against (.219).
STARTING PITCHER – 24 – RHP JOHAN OVIEDO
JOHAN OVIEDO: The 25-year-old righthander is making his 24th start tonight…He won a 4-1 decision (7.0ip/0r) in his last start Sunday afternoon at Milwaukee.
vs. CINCINNATI: 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA (21.2ip/10er) in seven career appearances (four starts)…Started and allowed one hit in 5.0 scoreless innings while recording
his first win as a Pirate in game one of a doubleheader on 9/13/22 at Great American Ball Park…He made two starts in 2021 as a member of the Cardinals, allowing a combined five runs in 8.1 innings.
