CINCINNATI – Andrew Abbott tossed six scoreless innings while Elly De La Cruz collected three hits to lead the Reds past the Astros, 5-0, in the rubber game Sunday at Great American Ball Park.
Abbott (2-2) kept the Astros off-balance all day, striking out Yordan Alvarez – the most dangerous and productive hitter in the Houston lineup – three times and not allowing a runner to reach second. Abbott allowed just three singles and one walk while striking out five and tossing 85 pitches (55 strikes). Tejay Antone, Sam Moll and Graham Ashcraft each pitched a scoreless inning to finish off the game.
Sunday marked Cincinnati’s fourth straight series win at home.
JJ Bleday broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with an RBI triple down the right-field line off Houston starter Kai-Wei Teng (1-3), scoring De La Cruz and Sal Stewart. Tyler Stephenson drove in the third run of the inning and knocked Teng from the game when he looped a single to right field to score Bleday.
Teng, making just his second start of the season against 13 relief appearances, held the Reds scoreless on one hit over the first three innings. He finished allowing three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out one.
The Reds loaded the bases against reliever AJ Blubaugh and were on the verge of padding their lead with two outs. But Spencer Steer’s deep drive to straightaway center was caught on the warning track by Brice Matthews, who hung onto the ball despite crashing into the padded wall.
The Reds added another run when Matt McLain worked a bases-loaded walk in the fifth. Steer was finally rewarded for hitting the ball hard in the sixth when he connected for his seventh home run for a 5-0 lead.