CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
RED HOTS
- The Reds are playing a Saturday night game at Wrigley Field for the first time since a 4-3 walkoff loss on 6/13/15…Starlin Castro ended it with an RBI-single off Tony Cingrani…courtesy @EliasSports.
- Reds baserunners in 48 attempts have scored 47 runs from second base on singles…both lead the Major Leagues.
- In the first inning, Reds batters rank second among the Major League team leaders in batting average (.322, Atl .324) and third in hits (67;
Atl 70, TB 70). - The Reds entered today ranked T28th in the Major Leagues with 38 HR (Cle 30, Wsh 38), their fewest in 51 games since the 1997 team produced
33 HR through its first 51 games…from 4/18-4/25 did not produce a home run in a season-high 8 consecutive games, their longest team homerless streak since 1992.
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 2 (1-0) of a 3-game series vs Tucker Barnhart’s Cubs and Game 2 (1-0) of a 6-game road trip to the two oldest ballparks in the Major Leagues, Chc’s Wrigley Field (1914) and Bos’ Fenway Park (1912).
- The Reds will visit Fenway Park for the second straight season.
- The Redlegs are coming off a 2-5 homestand vs the Yankees (0-3) and Cardinals (2-2).
SERIES NOTES
- Since a 4-1 Reds win on 6/25/14 and beginning 9/15/14, the Cubs have won 30 of the last 42 night games vs the Reds at The Friendly Confines.
- The Reds in 2022 went 8-11 vs Cubs, including 5-4 at Great American Ball Park, 3-6 at Wrigley Field and a 4-2 “home” loss on 8/11 in the Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa.
- The teams met in the final 6 games of the 2022 championship season (3g at Wrigley Field, 3g at Great American Ball Park), the longest continuous stretch of games between the Reds and Cubs since they played 7 straight games from 8/29-9/5, 1931…courtesy @EliasSports.
- The game scheduled for 4/5 at Great American Ball Park was postponed by threatening weather…it has been rescheduled as part of a day/night
doubleheader on Fri, 9/1 (1:10, 6:40).
RED SOX UP NEXT
- The Red Sox begin a 3-game series on Tue at Fenway Park.
- The Sox lead the all-time series, 14-3, including a split of the home-and-home 2-game series last season.
- The Sox won 5 of the 7 series, tied the other 2 series and swept 4 series.
- The Reds’ 2-1 win on 5/31/22 was their first victory at Fenway Park since Game 7 of the 1975 World Series.
- In the June 2005 series at Fenway, the Reds were outscored by the Sox, 23-4, and hit .167 (15-90, 32k) while posting an 8.25era (.340ba)…game-time temperature on 6/13/05 was 91 humid degrees, dropped to a chilly 54 for Game 2 and then plummeted to a frigid 49 for the series finale.
Tonight’s Pitcher – #55 Brandon Williamson, LHP
- Tonight is making his third Major League appearance.
- On 5/16 at Col, became only the 10th visiting pitcher to make his Major League debut with a start at Coors Field, the first since Hou’s José Urquidy on 7/2/19.
- Became only the fourth Reds pitcher to make his Major League debut with at least 5.2 innings, 2 hits or fewer allowed and at least 6 strikeouts, joining Tom Carroll (7/7/1974 vs StL, 7ip, 2h, 6k), Mo Sanford (8/9/1991 at SD, 7ip, 2h, 8k) and Johnny Cueto (4/3/2008 vs Ari, 7ip, 1h, 10k).
- Became only the fourth Reds pitcher in the expansion era (since 1961) to retire at least 14 consecutive batters in his Major League debut, joining Wayne Simpson (16, 4/9/1970 at LAD), Rob Bell (16, 4/8/2000 vs Cubs) and Johnny Cueto (15, 4/3/2008 vs Ari).
- In that 3-1 win on 5/16 at Col, allowed a single to Charlie Blackmon, his first career batter faced, but didn’t allow another hit until Ezequiel Tovar’s solo HR in the sixth inning snapped the scoreless tie…Williamson retired 14 consecutive batters leading up to Tovar’s home run.
- Turned 25 years old on the fourth day of the season.
- Entered the season rated by Baseball America the 10th-best prospect in the organization.
- Began the season at Class AAA Louisville (8gs, 2-4, 6.62, 34ip, 44h, 20bb, 27k, 7hr, 1.88whip, .310baa).
- Was selected by the Mariners in the second round (59th overall) of the 2019 first-year player draft.
- Was an MiLB.com Mariners Organization All-Star in 2019 and 2021.
- On 3/14/22 was acquired from the Mariners, along with RHP Justin Dunn, OF Jake Fraley and a player to be named, for 3B Eugenio Suárez and OF Jesse Winker.
- On 3/29/22 the Reds completed the trade by acquiring minor league RHP Connor Phillips as the player to be named.
- When acquired by the Reds in March 2022, his curveball was rated by Baseball America the best in the Mariners’ organization.
CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Reds
The Cubs and Reds play 13 games spanning four series … the teams played a weather-shortened two-game set in Cincinnati, April 3-4, splitting
the series … following this series, the clubs meet here again for a four-game set, July 31-Aug. 3 … Chicago last season went 11-8 vs. the Reds, its first season series victory over Cincinnati since going 11-8 in 2018
SATURDAY AT THE PARK: The Chicago Cubs today play the second of three games against the Cincinnati Reds after yesterday getting blanked for the first time this season in a 9-0 setback … Chicago has dropped two-straight games after winning two consecutive contests against the Mets to start this homestand … Chicago fell to New York 10-1 on Thursday prior to yesterday’s setback … the Cubs’ series win over the Mets (2-1) marked Chicago’s first series victory since taking two of three vs. the Marlins May 5-7.
Following this three-game set against the Reds, the Cubs continue the homestand with three games against the Tampa Rays, including a Memorial Day matinee this Monday.
After the game on April 21, Chicago was 12-7 and 1.5 games behind the division lead … since, the club is 10-21 and enters today 4.5 games behind the division-leading Brewers, sitting at 27-24.
SUZUKI AT THE DISH: Seiya Suzuki has a .400 average (14-for-35) with a 1.004 OPS against lefties this year … Suzuki has hit .346 (18-for-52) with five doubles, five homers, 11 walks, a .453 OBP and a .731 slugging mark in his last 15 games since May 8.
Suzuki is hitting .300 (12-for-40) with three doubles, two homers and 15 RBI with runners in scoring position.
SOMETHING OF QUALITY: Marcus Stroman’s 8.0 innings with two runs allowed on Wednesday marked Chicago’s 24th quality start of the season, the second-most in the N.L. (Pittsburgh, 25) and tied for sixth-most in the majors.
Stroman is tied for the major league lead with nine quality starts (also Cleveland’s Shane Bieber) … Justin Steele’s eight quality starts are tied for third-most in the majors.
FIRST FRAME FUNK: Including two runs allowed yesterday, the Cubs have surrendered first-inning runs in 11 of their last 15 games dating to May 9 (20 runs total) … Chicago has plated first-inning runs in three of those contests (5 runs total).
Cubs pitching has posted a 5.76 ERA (32 ER/50.0 IP) in the first inning this season … the team has a 4.04 ERA (176 ER/392.0 IP) in the rest of the innings.
RUMINATIONS REGARDING RUNS ALLOWED: Including Thursday’s 10-1 setback, the Cubs have allowed 10 or more runs in four of their last 12 games since May 13 after not doing so in the team’s first 38 contests to begin the season.
On the other side of the coin, Chicago this season has surrendered two or fewer runs in 21 games, tied for the fourth-most such games in the majors behind only Seattle (22), Tampa Bay (22) and Texas (22).
AT THE PLATE: The Cubs have drawn 191 free passes this season, fourth-most in the majors behind the Dodgers (226), Padres (214) and Cardinals (194) … that’s contributed to a .335 team OBP that ranks fourth in the majors and a .755 OPS that is fifth in the N.L. and eighth in the majors.
Ian Happ’s .405 OBP is sixth in the N.L. and ninth in the majors … his 36 walks are tied for fourth-most in baseball.
Nico Hoerner’s 12 stolen bases are seventh in the Senior Circuit.
Patrick Wisdom’s 12 homers are tied for sixth in the N.L. while his .517 slugging percentage is ninth.
STINGY IN VICTORY: The Cubs have allowed two or fewer runs in 15 of their last 16
victories dating to April 14 … the lone win in that span in which Chicago allowed more
than two runs came in a 10-4 win vs. the Cardinals on May 10.
PLAYING THE MARGINS: Chicago is 17-13 (.567) in games decided by three or more runs, the fourth-best record in the N.L. … however, the team is just 5-15 (.250) in games decided by two or fewer runs, the lowest winning percentage in the majors in those contests … that includes a 2-10 (.167) mark in one-run games.
ALL GOOD THINGS…: Christopher Morel was 0-for-4 Thursday night to snap his career-high 14-game hitting streak dating to the final day of the 2022 season … Morel batted .345 (20-for-58) with three doubles, nine homers, 16 RBI and 17 runs scored during the run.
Morel recorded a hit and scored a run in each of his first 12 games this season, just the second time since 1901 a Cub has done that anytime in a single-season (Hank Sauer, 12 games in 1954).
Morel’s stretch of 12-straight games with a run scored was the second-longest in franchise history since 1900, joining Hank Sauer (13 games in 1954).
Morel recorded nine homers in first 12 games of the season, becoming one of just four players to accomplish that feat … he joined: Luis Gonzalez (9 HR in 2001), Larry Walker (9 HR in 1997) and Mike Schmidt (11 HR in 1976).
…COME TO AN END: The Cubs yesterday were shut out for the first time this season and for the first time since Sept. 24 of last season in a 6-0 loss at PNC Park against the Pirates … the team’s 59-straight games since it was previously shut out marked its longest stretch since scoring in 70-consecutive contests from Aug. 12, 2021-May 4 of last year.
This 49-game run with at least one run scored to start the season marked Chicago’s longest season-opening stretch since way back in 1898, a season in which that team plated a run in each of its first 91 contests.
IN THE FIELD: Dansby Swanson has gone 33-straight games since April 20 without committing an error (111 TC) and his six defensive runs saved are tied for second-most among the major league shortstops, trailing only Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco (8), according to Fangraphs.
Starting Pitcher – #50 RHP Jameson Taillon (0-3, 8.10)
Last Time Out
Jameson suffered his third loss of the season after giving up a season-high six earned runs … was his shortest start of 2023 (previous, 2.2 IP May 9 vs. St. Louis) … has allowed four or more runs in three-straight starts … has allowed three or more runs in four-straight starts for the fourth time in his career (last, Aug. 2, 2022-Aug. 19, 2022) … his three walks were a season-high … struck out one batter or fewer in a game for the sixth time in his career (last May 15, 2023 at Houston).
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
5/20 @PHI L, 3-12 2.1 6 8 6 3 1 62-35 0-6, 2 on
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 0-2 8.49 3 3 11.2 18 12 11 4 14
Road 0-1 7.80 4 4 15.0 18 15 13 6 13
AVG vs. LHB: .359 (19-for-53) / AVG vs. RHB: .274 (17-for-62)
Jameson will make his eighth start of the 2023 season today … is looking for his first win as a Cub … has gone seven-straight starts without a win to begin the 2023 campaign, the third time in his career that he has failed to earn a win in at least seven-straight starts in the same season (last 8, May 7-June 18, 2021) … opposing hitters are batting .158 (3-for-19) with eight strikeouts against his curveball.
Walked two or fewer batters in 16-straight starts from Aug. 14, 2022-May 9, 2023 … at the time, marked the fifth-longest active streak among major league starting pitchers.
Began his stint on the 15-day injured list April 20 (retroactive to April 17) with a left groin strain … was activated on May 4.
Went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA (8 ER/18.1 IP) with 23 strikeouts, compared to no walks, during Spring Training … was the only pitcher in the Cactus League with at least 10.0 IP to not walk a batter.
