The Pittsburgh Pirates come to the Queen City to take on the Cincinnati Reds for the final home series of the season. This series will be pivotal for both teams avoiding finishing the season in last place in the National League Central.
Game 1:
Mitch Keller is on the mound for the Pirates, he faces off against Nick Martinez. Tyler Stephenson would be the co-star along side Nick Martinez in this game. Tyler Stephenson, adding to his case for an extension this off-season, would hit his 19th home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning to give Cincinnati an early 1-0 lead.
In the 3rd, Stephenson would rip a double in the left field gap with the bases loaded. All three runners would score. Later in the inning, Ty France would lift a sac fly to bring home Stephenson, Reds lead 5-0. In the 4th, Jonathan India launched his 15th home run of the season to give the Reds a 6-0 advantage.
Elly De La Cruz would swipe his 100th career stolen base in the 4th inning. Elly has become just the 3rd player in Major League Baseball history to have 100 stolen bases in his first 2 season, and the first ever with 30 or more home runs and 100 stolen bases.
Tyler Stephenson would bring De La Cruz home on an excuse me swing that just stayed fair. Later, TJ Friedl would reach on a fielders choice. The Pirates first baseman would try to throw the runner out at home and miss wide, Cincinnati leads 8-0 after 4 and Keller’s day would be done. The Reds would tag Keller for 8 earned runs in 3.1 innings, taking 5 walks and only striking out once. Nick Martinez would dominate the Pirates on Friday night. Martinez would go 6 innings, give up just 2 hits, no walks and strike out 9. Martinez is making a case for the starting rotation in 2025 should the Reds extend or a qualifying offer be accepted.
Martinez has a 0.73 ERA in September and a 2.45 ERA since the All-Star break. The Pirates would get 1 runs in the 7th on an Oneal Cruz homer. Cruz would record a 20/20 season on that big fly. Pittsburgh would get 2 more on a couple RBI singles as the Reds would get the win, 8-3.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS:
Tyler Stephenson: 3-5 HR(19) 5 RBI, 3 R
Elly De La Cruz: 1-4 2R, SB, 2R
Jonathan India: 2-4 HR(15) RBI, BB
Winning Pitcher: Nick Martinez (10-6 3.22 ERA)
Losing Pitcher: Mitch Keller (11-11 4.21 ERA)
Game 2:
Rhett Lowder makes his 5th start of his young career on Saturday. He faces off against Jared Jones for Pittsburgh. Lowder was spectacular again, really showing why he deserves a spot in the 2025 big league rotation. Rhett would pitch 5 innings of 5 hit baseball, no runs, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts to bring his season ERA to just 1.40. The Reds would get three runs in the third inning. Tyler Stephenson would keep his hot bat going, driving in Elly De La Cruz on a single. Ty France was responsible for the other two runs, launching his 13th home run of the season.
Elly De La Cruz would double the Reds run total in the fourth, destroying his 25th home run of the season for a three run home run that nearly exited the stadium. Elly De La Cruz became the first short stop ever with a 25HR/65SB season.
The Reds would get 1 more in the sixth on a Elly De La Cruz single giving Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. Pittsburgh would avoid a shut out, Billy Cook would hit a solo home run off of Alan Busenitz but that’s all the Pirates would salvage. Reds win 7-1.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS:
Elly De La Cruz: 3-5 HR(25) 4 RBI, 2R
Noelvi Marte: 2-4 R
Ty France: 1-3 HR(13) 2 RBI, BB
Winning Pitcher: Rhett Lowder (2-2 1.40 ERA)
Losing Pitcher: Jared Jones (6-8 4.14 ERA)
Game 3:
Hunter Greene makes his return after being put on the IL on August 18th for elbow swelling. Greene injured his elbow from apparently by hitting it against a cabinet. Greene gets the start against Paul Skenes for Pittsburgh, Skenes has set the baseball world on fire since making his debut in May, including being named the NL All-Star starting pitcher. Greene would be limited on Sunday but would pitch well. He would go 3 innings, allow 1 run on 2 hits, strike out 4 and walk 1. Oneil Cruz would crush his second home run of the series off Greene, into the power stacks in right center, to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead after 1. In the 5th, rookie Nick Yorke hit his 1st career home run off Fernando Cruz to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead. Paul Skenes was excellent once again. Skenes would finish his day going 5 innings, allowing 2 hits no runs or walks and 9 strikeouts. Pirates would go on to win, 2-0, avoiding the sweep.
BOX SCORE STANDOUTS:
Jonathan India: 2-4
Ty France: 1-4
Winning Pitcher: Paul Skenes (11-3 1.99 ERA)
Losing Pitcher: Hunter Greene (9-5 2.83 ERA)
Save: Aroldis Chapman (11)
Cincinnati travels to Cleveland to duke it out for the Ohio Cup on Tuesday. Cleveland has already clinched the AL Central and may look to rest for the final few games this season. Jakob Junis is scheduled to start for Cincinnati versus Tanner Bibee for the Guardians. Junis has allowed just 2 runs in his last 3 starts over 16 innings, but the Reds have lost all 3 games.
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