I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I’m teeming with a lot o’ news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
Reds vs. Pirates (Reds sweep 3-0)
Let’s be honest. A bunch of thespian luvvies could have provided tougher competition than the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Game 4: Reds 5-3 Pirates
I was excited to see how Jose De Leon would fair in his first start since 2016. The answer was initially shocking when the second hitter of the day, Philip Evans, sent a fly ball deep to the left-centre field stand, and then in only the 12th pitch of the game, Colin Moran hit a solo homer to double the score.
Side note: Adam Frazier, Philip Evans, Bryan Reynolds and Colin Moran could be the most ordinary-sounding hitters to ever fill the first four spots of a lineup this century.
Despite the two homers, De Leon looked good and prompted this tweet …
Don’t ever doubt me again!
De Leon did not allow another run, in fact, he only gave up one hit while striking out nine over five innings. The battle to stay in the rotation when Sonny Gray returns is intriguing.
De Leon then got the Reds on the board with his first MLB hit, which was also his first RBI as Nick Senzel crossed home plate.
Over in Anaheim, they rave about their two-way player, but Shohei Ohtani hasn’t racked up nine Ks in a start. Just saying.
Mike Moustakas levelled the scores with a solo homer in the fifth inning. The power potential from the Reds infield is better than I can ever remember.
And then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, the man of the moment, Nick Castellanos, launched his third home run of the season.
The following inning, Moustakas and Senzel both scored their second runs of the game thanks to being driven in by Jonathan India and Aristides Aquino.
Despite a wobble by conceding a homer to Bryan Reynolds, Amir Garrett closed out the game for only his second-ever career save.
Man of the match: Jose De Leon
Game 5: Reds 14-1 Pirates
Wade Miley made his best start for the Reds by allowing just two hits over six scoreless innings while striking out six.
Although to be fair, he knew he had run support. Lead-off hitter, Tyler Naquin, belted a first-inning homer off Trevor Cahill and the Reds never looked back.
India drove in Moustakas in the second inning, before Naquin sent another ball into the stands – this time with two men on base.
Doubles from Castellanos and Tucker Barnhart, and a triple from India, and the runs kept coming – Senzel scoring four of them. Naquin finished with seven RBI, making him the RBI leader in MLB.
Having been non-tendered by the Indians in December, I doubt Naquin’s wildest dreams pictured a two-homer, seven-RBI day for the dominant Reds in the first week of April.
Man of the match: Tyler Naquin, obvs
Game 6: Reds 11-4 Pirates
At least the Pirates starter, Chad Kuhl, knew what to expect from Tyler Naquin in the first inning. That didn’t stop him from serving up a pitch for the outfielder to drive into the stand.
If that was a bad start for the Pirates, it was about to get worse …
Castellanos (reached on error), Joey Votto (walk), Moustakas (walk), Senzel (walk), India (Sac fly), Kyle Farmer (double). The Reds were 5-0 up when Tyler Stephenson ground out to end the inning.
The game settled down until Castellanos homered in the fifth, quickly followed by India driving in Votto and Senzel. India getting himself out at second was one of the few errors he has made – fortunately, it had no impact on the game.
One of the most exciting Pirates players in spring training was relief pitcher, David Bednar. He led the organisation with 18 strikeouts to one walk in just 8.2 scoreless innings. Unfortunately for the rookie, he allowed back-to-back homers to Stephenson and Aquino.
The Pirates started the ninth inning 11-0 down, but Garrett loaded the bases and then gave up a Grand Slam. I still love him though.
Man of the match: Nick Senzel (2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI)
(Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
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4000 miles from Ohio 