CINCINNATI -- Terry Francona had a good feeling his Reds were about to break out in Thursday’s game at Great American Ball Park.
Yes, he had arguably his best starting pitcher taking the mound. Yes, they were due after two losses to the Nationals, especially a gut-punching 8-7, 10-inning defeat Wednesday night.
But really what signaled to him that his team was ready to break out is what he saw pregame in the clubhouse from his assistant bench coach and longtime baseball confidant Mike Napoli -- or more to the point -- what he saw him in.
“I want to say this correctly; we had good vibes going in today,” Francona teased, before announcing, “Nap broke out the Tito speedo, and [I] kind of had a good feeling going in.”
Napoli got a hold of the famous swimwear that Francona donned in Spring Training -- after receiving it as a gift from Tyler Stephenson. Napoli wore it not only pregame but throughout the game, as well, under his uniform, per Francona. While that broke the mood pregame and provided plenty of laughter, the real laughing came during a 15-1 rout of the Nationals before 22,651 fans at Great American Ball Park.
JJ Bleday homered twice and drove in six runs and Matt McLain added a two-run long ball in support of six scoreless innings from Chase Burns, as Cincinnati salvaged the series finale.
Thursday was what the Reds envisioned when they broke camp in Arizona in late March. Great pitching and timely hitting in concert to overpower opponents.
“You’re never going out there trying to go put up 15 runs,” Bleday said. “That's just a byproduct of having good at-bats and playing good defense and throwing the ball well. I think we're capable of playing some really good baseball, and we still have a long season ahead of us. I think if we have that mindset every day and every pitch, good things are going to come in our way, because we have a lot of talent on this team, and it's just fun being around.”
Burns (5-1) was dominant from the start, yielding just two hits, striking out seven while walking two, lowering his ERA to 1.87 and posting his fourth straight start of at least six innings. Burns, who threw 95 pitches in the six frames, has allowed two or fewer runs in six straight starts and in eight of his nine starts this season.
His only real blemish was dropping a toss from Sal Stewart at first that would’ve ended the fifth inning. But two more errors from catcher Jose Trevino (one on a throw and the other catcher’s interference) put runners on first and third before Burns got Drew Millas to ground out and end the frame.
In the sixth, Dane Myers made a diving two-out grab of a sinking Jacob Young liner in left-center to end the sixth inning and preserve Burns’ scoreless outing.
“I thought his breaking ball was very good, and they made him work a little bit,” Francona said of Burns. “And then, he had the inning where he didn't handle the ball at first, which probably cost him an inning, because he ended up throwing 15 pitches after that. But man, when he needs to reach back with runners on -- and then he can speed them up with the fastball, and then he spins it so well -- that's a good combination.”
Trevino loves the fire of Burns he sees on the mound. The right-hander's 1.87 ERA is the fourth-best mark among qualified National League pitchers, behind only Shohei Ohtani (0.82), Bryce Elder (1.81) and Clay Holmes (1.86).
“He's doing a phenomenal job,” Trevino said. “He's just throwing the ball really well and doing what he wants to do, and I'm very impressed with how he's going about everything right now. I've seen that before, too, even when I'm not catching him. He doesn't like giving up runs.
“As good as y'all see him, he wants to be better. Believe it or not, this kid is on attack-mode every time he's on the mound. … He's really in tune with the whole thing. There's no ifs, ands or buts about this kid. He wants to be great, and he's striving for it every single day.”
Certainly, Burns was grateful afterward for Trevino’s impact and leadership.
“Me and him have gotten really close over this past year, and that guy believes in me,” Burns said. “So just having a lot of confidence in me, and he trusts me, and I trust him. So big shout out to Trevino.”