Reds get win over White Sox
CINCINNATI (AP) — Mike Moustakas hit a two-run single as Cincinnati scored five times in the fourth inning on just one hit, and the Reds took advantage of wild Chicago White Sox pitching for a 7-3 win Sunday.
Aristides Aquino hit a two-run homer as the surging Reds stayed in contention for a playoff spot, taking two out of three from the the AL Central leaders for their seventh win in eight games.
“It is a good accomplishment any time you can take two of three from a good team,” Reds manager David Bell said.
Cincinnati broke away by turning six walks, a hit batter and Moustakas’ single into a big inning. The playoff-bound White Sox issued a season-high 11 walks and hit three batters overall.
“Today was very odd,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. “Thankfully, we haven’t had many of these — just one hit in that particular inning when they scored five runs. We thought, ultimately, we could try to chip away a little bit and get to the bullpen and do something. Frustrating? A little bit. We’re trying to move forward in a positive way. We’ll throw this one in the garbage and move on.”
Chicago starter Dylan Cease (5-3) was pulled after walking the bases loaded with no outs in the fourth. At that point, he hadn’t allowed a run or hit, but had walked a career-worst seven and struck out five.
“I was yanking my fastball today,” Cease said. “Not having a feel for my fastball is what did me in. At the end of the day, the misses were all the same, so I have to figure out what my adjustment is for my yanks.”
Two runs scored on infield outs and another came home on a bases-loaded walk before the left-handed hitting Moustakas singled off lefty reliever Ross Detwiler for Cincinnati’s first hit.
“Each run is so important against any team, but especially this team,” Bell said. “It was a great piece of hitting by Moustakas.”
The White Sox scored on back-to-back RBI singles by Nick Madrigal and José Abreu in the fifth.
Aquino answered with an upper-deck drive to left. He celebrated his second homer with his trademark right arm flex as he rounded third.