From anthem standoff on, Reds beat Yanks in every way

NEW YORK -- Instead of just winning a series over the Yankees, the Reds went above and beyond in just about every way possible.

Not only did they complete the three-game sweep with an 8-4 victory over New York on Thursday at Yankee Stadium, the Reds even won the game before the game, and the games within the game, too.

“This was the first series where it felt like we executed from the start to the finish of the series," Reds catcher Luke Maile said after a 5-2 road trip.

The game before the game
It came during a post-national anthem standoff between two Reds and two Yankees.

As Yankees starter Marcus Stroman finished warming up, Reds pitchers Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers remained near the line with caps over hearts in front of the visitors' dugout. In front of the home dugout, injured Yankees pitchers Ian Hamilton and Cody Poteet did likewise.

No one was willing to move during the lighthearted standoff, even as umpires told the four participants to get off the field.

“It wasn’t even planned," Ashcraft said. "All of us we’re glancing over. We saw they weren’t moving. One of the guys told Carson to stay. I was like, ‘I’m staying with you because I’m not moving. I don’t have anything to do today.’ I’m staying until I win, get ejected or both.”

Home plate umpire Alan Porter needed extra time to get equipment, extending the standoff. Another umpire warned both sides that if it continued once the first batter stepped in, they would all be ejected.

Spiers was the first to peel off. Several more moments passed before the two Yankees gave up. Ashcraft pumped his fist in triumph to the delight of his teammates.

“If you're going to win, you’ve got to win -- right?” Ashcraft said with a smile.

"That was pretty awesome of [Ashcraft] just to win that one for us and kind of give us a little edge before the first pitch," first baseman Spencer Steer said.

The power game
The Reds out-homered the Yankees, 7-3, for the series. Three of Cincinnati's homers came on Thursday against Stroman. Nick Martini pulled a two-out solo homer to right-center field in the second inning. Jonathan India slugged a one-out solo drive to left-center field in the third.

In the fifth inning with two outs and two on, Steer sliced an 0-1 Stroman pitch to the opposite field. It cleared the right-field fence for a three-run homer and a 5-0 Reds lead.

“A lot of good swings by the guys. Just good timely hitting, honestly," Steer said. "Those homers came in some pretty big spots.”

The defensive game
In the bottom of the first inning, Juan Soto hit a booming drive to center field, where Will Benson made a great catch while crashing into the wall.

The lead was 5-2 as the Yankees threatened with Alex Verdugo on third and one out in the sixth. Cincinnati brought its infield in. Anthony Volpe grounded to shortstop, where Elly De La Cruz made a perfect throw to the plate for the out.

Meanwhile, Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham casually fielded a Jeimer Candelario single in the ninth and flubbed it. Candelario hustled to second base on the error.

“Contributions from everyone -- offensively, defensively, hit for power, running the bases," Reds manager David Bell said. "That’s what it takes to beat a team like this."

The redemption game
Reds starter Frankie Montas was with the Yankees for two injury-filled and unfulfilling seasons in 2022-23. With his surgically repaired right shoulder fully healthy before signing with the Reds in January, Montas kept the Yankees hitless through three innings and scoreless until the fifth when there were homers by Austin Wells and Ben Rice.

Montas, who entered winless in five games at Yankee Stadium, finished with two runs and four hits allowed over five-plus innings. He walked three and struck out four.

“As a pitcher when you get early runs, I feel like you go out there with a little more confidence," Montas said. "You have the offense having your back. All you have to do is make pitches. You’re getting quick outs.”

Winning the games that follow?
Throughout the season, including this road trip, the Reds have often taken one step forward only to follow with one or two steps back. That was underscored during last weekend’s four-game series split at St. Louis, where big offensive wins were followed by shutout losses.

The Reds now go home to finish the first half with 10 games against losing clubs -- Detroit, Colorado and Miami.

“We responded pretty well after that series against St. Louis," Maile said. "We should have taken more, it felt like. We split with St. Louis, and we came here. We had every reason to kind of revert back. I think for us to go three in a row against these guys says a lot. It’s sort of knocking down that first barrier for us.”