MLB Preview: Cincinnati Reds (61-57) at Pittsburgh Pirates (52-64)

CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:

TONIGHT’S GAME

• Is Game 2 (1-0) of a brief 3-game road trip, all at Pit’s beautiful PNC Park, and Game 8 (2-5) 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, 1-0 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 3-5 vs Pit this season, including 2-1 at Great American Ball Park and 0-4 at PNC Park.
• The Reds are 15-33 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 1-4 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 25-11 over their last 6 road trips covering 12 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.
• The Reds’ 27 road wins (27-20) was their highest total prior to the All-Star Game break since 1999 (29-13).

RUNNING MEN

• The Reds lead the Major Leagues with 130 stolen bases (TB 2nd, 126sb), 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 – #55 Brandon Williamson, LHP

• Tonight is making his 16th career appearance and start, his first vs the Pirates.
• In his last 7 starts beginning 7/1 went 3-1, 3.19 (36.2ip, 26h, 13er, 12bb, 35k, 5hr, .203baa).
• Twice picked runners off second base, KC’s Bobby Witt Jr. (PO/CS 145) and SD’s Fernando Tatis Jr. (PO/CS 165).
• Once was called for a pitch timer violation, on 5/22 vs StL (Paul Goldschmidt batting).
• Once was called for a disengagement violation, on 8/7 vs Mia (Jorge Soler batting, Jon Berti to second on the balk).
• On 6/26 at Bal walked his second batter, Adley Rutschman, to snap at 10.0 his consecutive innings streak without issuing a walk.
• 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.
• 2 of his starts were shortened by rain and a third appearance was suspended & completed the next day.
• In the top of the third inning on 6/26 at Bal did not return after a 1 hour, 44-minute rain delay.
• On 7/6 at Wsh, remained in the game following a 1-hour, 43-minute rain delay in the top of the second inning.
• On 7/17 vs SF, the game was suspended with the score tied at 2-2 with 1 out in the eighth inning (completed the next day, 4-2 loss in 10 innings).
• Began the season at Class AAA Louisville (8gs, 2-4, 6.62, 34ip, 44h, 20bb, 27k, 7hr, 1.88whip, .310baa).

PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:

THE PIRATES:….lost 9-2 last night in the opener of a three-game series against the Reds…Have gone 11-10 in their last 21 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.

HONORING THE PAST: Tonight the Pirates will wear Homestead Grays uniforms as a tribute to the Negro Leagues…The Grays won nine Negro National League titles and played in five of the seven World Series back in their day…Xernona Clayton will throw out the first pitch as part of tonight’s pre-game festivities…Clayton has received numerous awards for her activism including the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education’s Distinguished Leadership Award.

ABOUT TONIGHT’S STARTER: Andre Jackson will make the first start of his big league career tonight…Jackson will become the 12th different pitcher to start a game for the Pirates this season…The Royals, Athletics and Rays have each used a Major-League high 16 starters this season, while the Nationals and Blue Jays have used a Major-League low seven apiece.

15 UP, 15 DOWN: Andre Jackson recorded four strikeouts while retiring each of the six batters he faced in his last appearance Tuesday night against the Braves…Jackson also worked 3.0 perfect innings last Saturday in Milwaukee in his Pirates debut…Tuesday was Jackson’s first outing at PNC Park since making his big league debut in Pittsburgh on August 16, 2021 when he worked 4.0 scoreless innings while recording five strikeouts in a 2-1 Dodgers win.

JACK’S JACKS: Last night High-A Greensboro’s Jack Brannigan went deep in his fifth straight game (he’s gone deep a total of six times in those five games)…Brannigan is the only player at the entire High-A level to hit a home run in five straight games this season…Prior to Brannigan, Mason Martin was the last member of the Grasshoppers to homer in five straight games when he did so in 2019…Brannigan enters today tied for third among all Pirates minor leaguers with 15 home runs (Jase Bowen leads the way with twenty one).

LET’S HEAR IT FOR HAYES: Ke’Bryan Hayes has knocked in 10 runs over his last four games, giving the Pirates two different players this season to record 10 RBI over a four-game stretch (Bryan Reynolds also did it in April)…Prior to this season, the last time the Pirates had two different players record 10 RBI over a four-game span was 2012 (Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez).

ANGEL OF PITTSBURGH: Angel Perdomo recorded two more strikeouts in his last appearance Friday night, giving him a total of 41 in 27.0 innings of work since making his season debut on June 3…Since June 3, Perdomo’s 41 punchouts are tied for the seventh-most among all relievers in MLB…The only six relievers with more strikeouts during that time are Felix Bautista (47), Sean Manaea (47), Nick Pivetta (47), Aroldis Chapman (46), Fernando Cruz (46) and Devin Williams (44).

RULE 5 RULING: Jose Hernandez struck out four batters for the first time in his career Friday night against the Reds…Hernandez, who was selected by the Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft this past offseason, enters today fourth among all National League rookie relievers with 43 strikeouts…The only three National League rookie relievers with more punchouts are Cincinnati’s Fernando Cruz (69), Arizona’s Scott McGough (69) and San Francisco’s Tristan Beck (47).

CLOSING IN ON THE COBRA: Andrew McCutchen’s run-scoring single in the sixth inning last night was this 756th RBI as a member of the Pirates…McCutchen is now two RBI shy of tying Dave Parker for ninth on the team’s all-time RBI list…Ninety nine of McCutchen’s 1033 career RBI have also come against the Reds, which are the second-most among active players (Anthony Rizzo is the only player with more with 103).

ANDREW ON THE BASES: Andrew McCutchen enters today with a 15-game on-base streak… That’s tied for the fourth-longest active on-base streak among all National League players along with teammate Bryan Reynolds (Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies has the longest active streak at 20 games)…McCutchen has the team’s longest on-base streak of 2023, reaching base safely in 20 straight from June 5 to July 1.

REYNOLDS ROLLING: Bryan Reynolds brings a season-best 15-game on-base streak into today…Reynolds is hitting .373 (22-for-59) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, .431 OBP, .661 slugging percentage and 1.092 OPS during his current streak…Reynolds’ 1.092 OPS since July 26 ranks 13th among all National League players.

STARTING PITCHER – 41 – RHP ANDRE JACKSON
ANDRE JACKSON: The 27-year-old righthander will make his third appearance (first start) with the Pirates after being promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on 8/4…He was acquired by the Pirates from the Los Angeles Dodgers on 6/25 for cash considerations.

VS. CINCINNATI: Has never faced the Reds.