Cincinnati’s offensive explosion on Saturday sets stage for big series finale in Milwaukee

Can they salvage the series with a split?

Like cicadas, the bats of the Cincinnati Reds seem to slumber for long enough that everyone forgets they exist only to show up, on occasion, and beat the everloving snot ouf of the ball. Such was the case again on Saturday night in Milwaukee, as the Reds woke up after a week featuring just two (2) runs scored over their previous four games to serve an eleven-burger to Brewers pitching in a much, much needed victory.

TJ Friedl filled the stat sheet from the leadoff position on a 4-hit night that included a homer. Jose Trevino, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Blake Dunn each socked a ball over the fence, too, and were it not for a costly error in RF by Jake Fraley the final scoreline would’ve looked a ton rosier than the eventual 11-7 one.

Still, it was hopefully a solid flushing of last week’s misery. Gone went the trio of frustrating 1-0 defeats. Back was manager Terry Francona after a bat bout of food poisoning fought its way through the entire dugout. Maybe, just maybe, Sunday gives the Reds a chance to club its way through Milwaukee pitching once again, the opportunity to split the four-game series and draw level - at 4-6 - with this very Brewers club in the very winnable National League Central division.

Maybe.

Carson Spiers toes the rubber for Cincinnati opposite righty Chad Patrick, a former 4th round pick out of Purdue University Northwest who I’d literally never heard of before typing his name just now. (I’ve never even heard of Purdue University Northwest.) In the past, that kind of anonymity has haunted Cincinnati pitching to the tune of 1 hit over 6 IP, but maybe, maybe yesterday flushed that kind of Reds history down the tube as well.

Matt McLain remains out of the lineup once again, however. Those pesky hamstrings.

First pitch is set for 2:10 PM ET, and will be watchable via FanDuel Sports Ohio on both cable and via their in-market stream. Catch in on MLB.tv if you’re out of market.

Reds Lineup