Reds end 14-game skid against Mets
CINCINNATI — The Reds knew it had been nearly three years since they beat the Mets. Cincinnati busted the slump with a big game all-around.
Scott Schebler hit his first career grand slam , and Cincinnati ended its 14-game losing streak against New York with a 14-4 victory Tuesday night.
The Reds hadn’t beaten the Mets since Sept. 6, 2014. They’d dropped their last eight to New York at Great American Ball Park, where the Mets are 30-16 all-time for the best winning percentage by any National League team, including the Reds.
“I think it was 14,” rookie starter Sal Romano said of the slump. “It was nice to be a part of (stopping) it.”
Cincinnati put the game away with a seven-run eighth inning that featured Adam Duvall’s three-run homer. Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki made his second appearance on the mound this season and induced a double-play grounder.
Romano (4-5) made his third straight solid start, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings.
Schebler homered in the first off rookie Chris Flexen (3-3), who needed 36 pitches to get through the inning. The Reds loaded the bases with the help of a pair of walks, Eugenio Suarez singled in a run, and Schebler connected for his 26th homer and a 5-1 lead.
“It doesn’t happen often, especially not to me,” Schebler said.
Flexen, called up from double-A last month, gave up seven runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 innings. Mets manager Terry Collins thought the rookie was too excited in the first inning.
“Once he gets into the flow of the game, he settles down,” Collins said. “Certainly there’s a couple things some teams try to do in the bullpen when they’re warming up to try to get them to calm down. We might try one of those little things his next start.”
Jose Reyes was in left field for the Mets, his first start and second career appearance in the outfield. His inexperience showed on Billy Hamilton’s fly in the second. Reyes took the wrong angle and it went over his head for a double. He moved back to shortstop as part of a double-switch in the sixth.