Aquino hits HRs in 1st 3 at-bats as Reds rout Cubs
CINCINNATI — Reds rookie Aristides Aquino homered in his first three at-bats, keeping up his prodigious power display and leading Cincinnati over the Chicago Cubs 10-1 Saturday night.
Aquino came up twice more with a chance to match the major league record for home runs in a game. He drew a four-pitch walk with nothing close to the plate, then struck out in his final at-bat.
Aquino has hit seven home runs in his first 10 games, tying the big league mark set by Trevor Story in 2016.
With three more whiplash swings, the 25-year-old outfielder who struggled to escape the lowest levels of minor league ball became an overnight sensation in Cincinnati.
The 39,866 fans demanded a curtain call after Aquino hit solo shots off Kyle Hendricks (8-9) in the second and third innings, and then another off Dillon Maples in the fourth.
There have been 18 players to hit four home runs in a game, a feat that’s never been achieved by a rookie.
Fans were on their feet and booed as Alec Mills walked in the sixth, throwing a breaking ball on a 3-0 count. Mills fanned Aquino on a low breaking ball to end the seventh.
Aquino has homered in four consecutive games, one shy of the team mark. The only other Reds rookie to homer in four consecutive was Eric Davis in 1984 — they share the same No. 44 and have a similar swing.
Sonny Gray (6-6) allowed two hits in six innings and singled home a pair of runs as the Reds piled up 18 hits.
GIANTS 3, PHILLIES 1 Jeff Samardzija pitched eight innings of two-hit ball, Evan Longoria and Kevin Pillar each homered, and host San Francisco beat Philadelphia.
MARLINS 7, BRAVES 6 (10) Martin Prado hit a sacrifice fly that scored Harold Ramirez in the bottom of the 10th inning as Miami beat visiting Atlanta.
METS 4, NATIONALS 3 Luis Guillorme hit his first big league home run to lead off the eighth, J.D. Davis added a go-ahead sacrifice fly and host New York beat Washington.
CARDINALS 3, PIRATES 1 Adam Wainwright gave up a home run on the first pitch of the game but not much else, and St. Louis beat visiting Pittsburgh.
PADRES 8, ROCKIES 5 Manuel Margot hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth and Hunter Renfroe had a home run as host San Diego defeated Colorado.
DODGERS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0 Kenta Maeda allowed three hits over seven innings, Max Muncy homered and Los Angeles beat visiting Arizona.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 5, YANKEES 4 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run triple in the seventh inning and host Toronto rallied to beat New York.
ANGELS 12, RED SOX 4 Mike Trout hit his first home run at Fenway Park and visiting Los Angeles routed Boston.
ROYALS 7, TIGERS 0 Mike Montgomery struck out a career-high 12 in seven innings as Kansas City defeated host Detroit.
ASTROS 23, ORIOLES 2 Rookie Yordan Alvarez hit three of the Astros’ six home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs to help visiting Houston to the highest scoring game in franchise history with a rout of Baltimore.
TWINS 4, INDIANS 1 Max Kepler and Marwin Gonzalez homered, All-Star Jake Odorizzi earned his career-high 13th victory and host Minnesota beat Cleveland.
WHITE SOX 3, ATHLETICS 2 Reynaldo Lopez pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, Eloy Jimenez homered and Chicago beat visiting Oakland.
INTERLEAGUE
BREWERS 3, RANGERS 2 Adrian Houser struck out a career-high 10 and rookie Keston Hiura hit his 14th home run as host Milwaukee topped Texas.