Reds open crucial homestand with big win

CINCINNATI -- In the home clubhouse before Friday’s game vs. the Cubs, a curious Reds player asked a reporter what his team might do before the July 31 Trade Deadline. The answer he got was that it depended largely on what the team does during this 10-day, nine-game homestand -- their longest of the season.

After all, the first seven games of the pivotal stretch leading into the All-Star break pit the last-place Reds vs. the two teams that have led the National League Central for most of 2019 -- the Cubs and Brewers. Friday’s 6-3 victory over Chicago at Great American Ball Park was an important start as Cincinnati snapped its four-game losing streak.

“That was a big win for us,” said Reds starting pitcher Sonny Gray, who gave up two earned runs and four hits over 6 1/3 innings. “Coming back home after an off-day to win the first game, we need to get some momentum here and finish the first half strong.”

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As well as Gray pitched, it was a game in which the offense really needed to step up. In the previous two losses vs. the Angels, the Reds notched a combined two runs on a pair of solo home runs while also making multiple mental and physical mistakes. Against the Cubs, Reds hitters attacked early and often with 11 hits. Joey Votto led the way with four hits and a walk.

It was already 1-0 through 1 1/2 innings when Cubs starter Cole Hamels exited after making one warm-up pitch with a left oblique strain.

“It was unfortunate that Hamels had to come out of the game,” Reds center fielder Nick Senzel said. “I hope he’s OK. But we jumped out early. It was a good feeling in the dugout, and we just knew we would get that one for sure.”

When lefty Mike Montgomery took over, his very first pitch was slugged by Phillip Ervin for a homer to begin the bottom of the second. This came after Ervin ended the top of the second with a nifty catch at the warning track on Addison Russell’s fly ball.

“Especially, to get on a good start, the first game, we can carry this into tomorrow. It’s going to be a fun series,” Ervin said.

With two outs in the second, Senzel drew a walk and stole second base with Votto batting. Senzel then made a mental mistake by waiting at second base before Votto’s single landed in center field instead of running on contact. He had to hold up at third base.

When Eugenio Suárez flied to center field for the third out, Senzel returned to the dugout and spiked his helmet knowing he goofed up.

“He felt terrible about it,” Reds manager David Bell said. “At that point, there’s nothing else to do other than wait for your next chance and learn from it. It’s a bad feeling.”

Redemption for Senzel came with one out in the fourth inning when he hit a two-run double to left field out of reach for a diving Kyle Schwarber and scored on Votto’s 1,800th career hit -- a single to right field.

“I knew there would be a lot of opportunities to make an impact,” Senzel said. “It was one of those things where I just lost track. There’s really no excuse for it. It was a mistake on my part, and that was it.”

The Reds (37-42) moved up to 5 1/2 games behind the Cubs (44-38) in the standings with two games left in the series. The Brewers also lost their game to the Pirates and are 4 1/2 games ahead.

It’s still a NL Central race with no runaway leaders or teams out of contention. Last week, the Reds enjoyed a six-game winning streak. Now they need another surge to get over the hump of .500 and position themselves to make additions -- and not subtractions -- before July 31.

“We know what we’re capable of,” said Gray, who took a shutout into the seventh before Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer. “We know there’s going to be some ups and downs, some peaks and valleys in the duration of the season. We just need there to be more peaks than valleys. We need for the rest of this homestand, going into the [All-Star] break, to play well. Tonight was a step in the right direction.”