Contending Reds pass 'huge test' in series W
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CINCINNATI -- Only 10 members of the 2020 Reds roster have previously appeared in the postseason. As the shortened regular season moves into its final week, even those without playoff experience understand the importance of staying in the moment and not giving games away.
Sunday’s 7-3 Reds victory over the American League Central-leading White Sox at Great American Ball Park took care of some much-needed business with wins in two out of three games in the series. All that’s left are six games -- three that are very critical against their National League Central-rival Brewers at home, followed by three more vs. the playoff-bound Twins in Minneapolis.
“This is a playoff team, obviously, that we just played,” said Michael Lorenzen, who struck out eight in 4 2/3 innings. "I knew having them come in was a huge test for us, and I think that we’ve definitely passed that test. We’ve proven to ourselves that we belong in the playoffs. We need to keep moving forward, keep pushing, keep doing what we’re doing. We can’t stop. We don’t have time to take a breather. We got to keep moving forward.”
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Cincinnati (27-27) rebounded well from Saturday’s 5-0 loss and has won seven of its last eight games and eight of the last 10. The club remained one game behind second-place St. Louis (26-24) for the second automatic playoff spot in the NL Central. Cincinnati is tied with Milwaukee (26-26) for the second spot in the NL Wild Card race, but it leads the season-series tiebreaker, 4-3.
That’s another reason the next series is so pivotal.
“I thought this was probably the most important series of the year, and we performed really well,” Reds first baseman Joey Votto said. “Of course, each and every one, subsequent one, becomes more important, but yeah. We’re looking forward to it. I’m just really happy with how we played this weekend. Really happy. That’s a really challenging team over there.”
• Votto passes Rose as Reds' career BB leader
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Sunday’s win was hardly glamorous, as Chicago starter Dylan Cease and the pitchers who followed him allowed 11 walks. Every Reds batter but Tucker Barnhart notched at least one walk. Cease didn’t allow a hit in his three-plus innings, but he walked seven and hit a batter. He and Ross Detwiler combined to face 11 batters in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the Reds getting one hit.
The first three runs in the walk-ridden rally came without a hit. Mike Moustakas came through with one on a two-run single into left-center field to make it a 5-0 game.
“It felt like it was the longest game in the history of baseball,” Lorenzen said. “Having to wait and having to stay warm and being in the cage and walk after walk. It was another mental challenge and one that I felt like I handled pretty well.”
Aristides Aquino brought the power in the fifth inning with a two-run homer to left-center field against Detwiler.
“I’m super excited to be a part of this team,” Aquino said via interpreter Jorge Merlos. “Everyone’s dream is to get into the playoffs, and this is what our goal is. It’s to get into the playoffs and win a World Series.”
Lorenzen was pulled with two outs in the fourth inning and did not qualify for the victory. Lucas Sims entered with inherited runners in the fifth. The 26-year-old right-hander gave up Nick Madrigal’s RBI infield hit and José Abreu’s RBI double, but he delivered 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.
“We had to put everything we had into today. Now we’ll continue the rest of the way,” Reds manager David Bell said. “No matter what, it was going to be a big series tomorrow. Each one of them obviously is important. To beat a good team like this gives us confidence going into the next series. It was a good day.”
Votto is the only member of the Reds left from the 2010, ‘12 and ‘13 playoff teams. The others with postseason experience elsewhere are Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Farmer, Brian Goodwin, Sonny Gray, Wade Miley, Moustakas and Eugenio Suárez.
“I want, in the position I’m in, everyone that’s in the clubhouse, on the field involved in this, to see it for the opportunity that it is and make the absolute most of it,” Bell said before Sunday’s game. “You don’t want to have any regrets, and the only regret would come from not being in the moment, not enjoying it, not getting caught up or concerned with things that don’t matter.”
Beginning on Monday, beating the Brewers will be the only thing that matters.