Field Level Media
Apr 29, 2018
Cincinnati finally earned its first series win of the season Sunday afternoon, when Tyler Mahle tossed 6 1/3 strong innings and three players had two RBIs apiece as the Reds cruised to an 8-2 victory over the reeling Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
The Reds took two of three from the Twins as they improved to 4-6 under interim manager Jim Riggleman. Prior to this weekend, Cincinnati was 0-6-1 in series, though it did defeat the Chicago Cubs, 1-0, on Apr. 2 in what ended up being the only game played in a scheduled two-game series. The finale Apr. 3 was postponed due to rain.
The Twins have lost nine of 10.
Mahle (2-3) allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out seven in becoming just the second Reds starter this season to record an out in the seventh inning.
Eugenio Suarez, Scott Schebler and Adam Duvall had two RBIs each. Suarez's run-scoring double in the first inning gave the Reds a lead they'd never relinquish. Jesse Winker had an RBI double in the second inning and Schebler and Duvall had back-to-back RBI fielder's choices in the third to close out the roughest start of the season for Twins ace Jose Berrios.
The Reds put the game away in the fourth against Taylor Rogers and Matt Magill thanks to RBI singles by Jose Pereza, Suarez and Schebler. Duvall added a home run leading off the seventh.
Joe Mauer had an RBI single in the sixth and Jason Castro delivered a run-scoring double in the ninth for the Twins. Castro and Eduardo Escobar had two hits each.
Berrios (2-3) allowed four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out none over three innings. It was the second straight subpar start for Berrios, who allowed five runs over four innings against the New York Yankees on Tuesday. Berrios opened the year with a 1.63 ERA in his first four starts.
--Field Level Media