CINCINNATI -- The Reds were without third baseman Mike Moustakas for a third consecutive game on Sunday vs. Cleveland. Moustakas has been dealing with a non-COVID-19-related illness.

A late scratch from Friday’s lineup, Moustakas’ absence became a factor during Cincinnati’s 3-2 win in 10 innings over Cleveland on Saturday. In the bottom of the ninth inning, when he needed a lefty pinch-hitter against reliever Emmanuel Clase, manager David Bell used Mark Payton instead of Moustakas.

“The little illness he’s dealing with is lingering a little bit, longer than we thought,” Bell said on Sunday. “He’s gotten better ever since Friday, gradually, but still lingering a little bit.”

In the top of the 10th inning, center fielder Nick Senzel played third base for the first time as a big leaguer. Senzel pinch-ran in the bottom of the ninth and scored the tying run.

Senzel was a college third baseman at Tennessee when he was taken as the second overall pick by the Reds in 2016. He was converted to center field in 2019 ahead of his rookie season.

Bell could only give Senzel about five minutes' notice when he was needed to play third base.

“His willingness to do it is important, and the fact that he has been an infielder helps,” Bell said of Senzel. “In that situation, you are taking some risk there, because he hasn’t played there. You’re starting out the 10th inning with a runner on second base, and a lot of times the third baseman really comes into play in an inning like that. I’m confident that he would have made the plays. He didn’t get any opportunities, but yeah. It’s not easy, but he handled it great. He had a good attitude towards it.”

Gray wants to be better
In his 2021 debut on Saturday, Sonny Gray started and allowed two runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings. Gray walked two (one intentionally) and struck out six while throwing 71 pitches. Cleveland’s Eddie Rosario hit a two-out RBI triple in the third inning and Andres Gimenez hit a solo home run in the fourth.

The regular season began with Gray on the 10-day injured list because of a mid-back muscle strain.

“It went OK; I was ready. I was very ready for the game,” Gray said. “I think there is a lot of room for improvement, personally. I felt my pitches were fine. Even the homer, I thought I executed the pitch. But I need to be better and I will be better.”