Reds put up four-run first after entering Saturday with fewest runs in MLB

CINCINNATI – While it hasn't been easy for much of the Reds lineup to see some pretty anemic production numbers lately, the bottom line is that they have a winning record, and are finding ways to get victories.

On the other hand, stacking runs with a big inning is more than welcomed any time. Scoring most of their runs in the first two innings, Cincinnati claimed a 7-3 victory over the Angels on Saturday at Great American Ball Park. It ended a three-game losing streak for the 9-6 club.

“You don’t really want to stare at stats when the scoreboard up there [is showing] a lot of ones and low twos in front of batting average numbers," said first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who delivered a critical three-run double in the first inning. "And I just think when that normalizes, a lot of guys are going to relax. We’re going to produce a lot more runs, which in turn, helps the pitching staff and we’ll just play better baseball.”

Entering the day, the Reds had scored the fewest runs (41) in MLB while being held to two or fewer runs in half of their games (7). They were 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position over the previous two losses. But as they debuted their new all-red City Connect uniform set, a 4-0 first inning lead was built against starter George Klassen.

A Spencer Steer one-out walk sparked the rally, followed by Elly De La Cruz's grounded single up the middle. After De La Cruz stole second base, Sal Stewart hit a grounder that was flubbed by first baseman Nolan Schanuel, enabling Steer to score. It was generously ruled a single for Stewart.

After Eugenio Suárez walked to load the bases, Lowe pulled a three-run double down the right field line for the four-run lead.

Finally, a big rally with a crooked number.

“It let us play with a little room to breathe and we needed it. It was good," manager Terry Francona said.

With one out in the second inning, Steer's drive to the left-field corner clanked off the foul pole for his second homer of the season and a 5-0 lead.

“It started pretty much on the line. I was kind of willing that ball fair," Steer said.

Like Ke'Bryan Hayes, Tyler Stephenson and others, Steer was one of multiple Reds of late to hit the ball hard in previous games with nothing to show for it. As someone who also got off to a slow start in 2025 while playing through a sore right shoulder the first month, sticking to the process rather than focusing on results has been a key.

Others have felt similarly, which is why concerns weren't rampant.

“It’s natural to try harder when you’re struggling. But I didn’t really see that from many guys," Steer said. "I think we’ve done a good job of just going out there and battling and keep going. It’s a long season. A lot of baseball left to be played and I think everyone here understands that. It’s only a matter of time that we get it going.”

The early lead was crucial, as Reds starter Brandon Williamson was in constant danger of giving it away. Williamson struggled with command and walked six batters over only four innings.

After getting away with little damage and only one run allowed over the first three innings, it was a pair of fourth-inning walks that finally burned Williamson. Mike Trout followed with a two-out, two-run double to cut Cincinnati's lead to two runs. Reliever Connor Phillips walked two batters in the fifth inning to put the potential go-ahead run at the plate. Pierce Johnson struck out Yoán Moncada to escape and delivered another zero in the sixth.

"I thought Pierce Johnson really calmed it down," Francona said.

Add-on runs came in the eighth inning with the aid of wild Angels reliever Chase Silseth giving up four straight two-out walks, while also throwing three wild pitches. Two of them scored runs to give closer Emilio Pagán an extra cushion in the ninth.

Lowe, a member of the World Series-winning Rangers in 2023 who was signed by Cincinnati to a Minor League deal during Spring Training before making the club, noted it was too soon to worry about where or how runs are scored.

"You just have to do the task at hand," Lowe said. "The team is still finding our identity as an offense. It’s April 11, right? Last I checked, we’ve got a lot of leeway in front of us and I’m definitely confident in this group that we’re going to bust out, we’re going to get consistent and we’re going to like the results a lot.”