CINCINNATI – For a Reds offense that has lacked run production of late, Eugenio Suárez was the sorely needed double espresso shot on Monday evening.
The Suárez boost came early when the veteran slugger delivered two home runs in his first two plate appearances – including a second-inning grand slam – during a 12-0 Reds win over the Mets at Great American Ball Park.
“I’m more happy we won the game. It’s not just about me. It’s about the team," Suárez said. "I feel like our offense is right there. We’ve been grinding, but today is a good example of what we can do in the game."
The Reds (34-37) had lost 12 of 16 games coming into the series against a fellow last-place club in the Mets. They applied pressure quickly on starter Tobias Myers when Blake Dunn led off with a double, stole third base and later scored on a groundout.
With two outs and in a full count, Suárez drove a fastball into the left-field seats for a two-run homer and a 3-0 lead.
A second-inning rally had plated two runs when, once again in a full count situation, Suárez didn't miss a cutter over the plate from reliever Jonathan Pintaro and clobbered it to center field for a grand slam.
"With two outs, to add a four there, that was really big for us," manager Terry Francona said.
It was the ninth grand slam of Suárez's career, and his fourth over his two tours with the Reds.
“For me, I feel great about my performance today," Suárez said. "That’s something I’ve been looking for, for a little bit. I’m being patient and continuing to do my thing out there and the results are going to be there like I always say.”
It was the first time the Reds scored more than five runs since a 6-4 win over the Braves on May 31, which was also the game in which Elly De La Cruz strained his right hamstring and went on the injured list.
In the previous 12 games prior to Monday night, Cincinnati had averaged only 3.1 runs while going 3-9.
“We’re due for one of these games," said left fielder JJ Bleday, who added a three-run homer in the eighth inning. "Awesome that Geno had a six-RBI night. He came through with the bases loaded there, grand slam, that was electric. But overall, it was a great team win.”
Reds starter Chase Burns was the beneficiary of the run support while pitching five scoreless innings with four hits, three walks and seven strikeouts. Burns cruised through his first three innings while retiring nine of 10 batters, allowing only a Bo Bichette double in the first inning.
The latter pair of innings proved more laborious for Burns, however. The right-hander grinded through a 32-pitch fourth with another Bichette double, two walks and a bases-loaded jam before escaping. In the fifth, Burns endured another bases-loaded spot with one out before getting out cleanly. But with 100 pitches – including 57 over the final two innings – his night was over.
“I put myself in some tough situations, but being able to bear down and focus up and execute some good pitches to get out of it," Burns said.
Signed to a one-year, $15 million contract by Cincinnati – his club from 2015-21 – on Feb. 3, Suárez tied his career-high with 49 homers last season for Arizona and Seattle. But after two homers over the first six games of this season, his pace slowed and then a left oblique strain on April 24 forced him onto the injured list for a month.
Overall in 45 games, Suárez is batting .222 with a .682 OPS, seven homers and 25 RBIs. He's never lost confidence in his abilities.
"I’ve been in this situation a lot, almost my whole career. I know how to handle it," he said. "The good example is just coming in every day and enjoy what I do, enjoy my process and knowing that at some point, my big day is going to be there. Like today, I had a big day. I’m not changing anything."
The past six games have seen Suárez show indications he's heating up while going 8-for-his-last 24 (.333). It started with a go-ahead RBI double in the 10th inning during a win over the Padres last Tuesday. The following day, he hit a homer during a loss at San Diego.
During Sunday's loss to the Diamondbacks, Suárez nearly went deep again with a third-inning opposite-field RBI double to the wall in right-center field.
"That’s a good sign," Francona said. "Normally when it warms up, the good hitters do too.”