CINCINNATI – Lane Thomas belted his third career grand slam and Jac Caglianone added a two-run shot in support of five strong innings from Luinder Avila to power the Royals past the Reds, 9-2, Monday night in the series opener at Great American Ball Park.
Avila (1-2), making just his second start in 24 career appearances, recorded his second career win and set career highs in innings (5), pitches (86) and strikeouts (5) while holding the Reds to just one run on two hits (one home run). John Schreiber, Alex Lange and Mason Black each threw a scoreless inning before the Reds touched Eli Morgan for a run in the ninth with a two-out rally.
In snapping a six-game skid, the Royals won for just the fourth time in their last 20 games. The Royals, who entered with the fewest runs scored (221) in MLB, scored eight runs for just the second time since May 1.
Cincinnati was forced to scratch ace starter Chase Burns (7-1, 1.96), who had to miss the start due to illness, and the Royals took full and immediate advantage.
Instead, the Reds started opener Lyon Richardson (0-1), who couldn’t command his pitches early. He walked Carter Jensen and hit Bobby Witt Jr. with a pitch on a 3-1 count. After a one-out walk to Caglianone loaded the bases and Isaac Collins struck out, Thomas crushed a first-pitch 95.7 mph fastball to left for a grand slam. The ball left the bat at an estimated 106.3 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 409 feet, careening off the message board in left-center field.
Avila’s only mistake was leaving a full-count four-seam fastball over the middle of the plate to the red-hot JJ Bleday in the bottom of the first. Bleday put the 97.9 mph heater into the seats in right for his 10th homer of the season.
Brandon Leibrandt, son of former Royals and Reds pitcher Charlie, pitched a scoreless fourth before surrendering a two-run homer to Caglianone in the fifth after a Witt double. Michael Massey added a solo shot to right in the seventh.
The game was a matchup of teams who struggled badly in May. The Royals were 10-18 while the Reds were just one loss better at 10-17.
When their pitching kept the Royals in the park, the Reds did produce several sparkling defensive plays, including one by second baseman Edwin Arroyo. Cincinnati’s No. 3 prospect, making his MLB debut due to Elly De La Cruz (right hamstring strain) landing on the 10-day injured list, slid far to his left on a Nick Loftin grounder, got to his feet, spun and threw a strike to first to get Loftin by a step.
Arroyo struck out three times before collecting his first MLB hit off Morgan in the ninth. He scored on Matt McLain’s RBI double.
Loftin was again robbed in the fourth when Sal Stewart fielded his grounder behind the third base bag and threw across his body while moving toward the Royals dugout.