Fairchild’s inside-the-park home run helps snap skid
SAN FRANCISCO — Pinch-hitter Stuart Fairchild had an inside-thepark homer that provided a key insurance run late to help left-hander Andrew Abbott win for the first time in almost a month, and the Cincinnati Reds snapped an eight-game losing streak by beating the San Francisco Giants 4-2 on Friday night.
Left fielder Michael Conforto and center fielder Tyler Fitzgerald each tried to run down Fairchild’s flyball to left-center off Erik Miller, but the ball caromed off the wall between them and kicked back before Fitzgerald retrieved it and hit shortstop Casey Schmitt. Diving headfirst, Fairchild just beat the relay throw.
It was the first insidethe-park homer at Oracle Park since Tampa Bay’s Luke Raley on Aug. 16 last year, sixth by an opponent and 13th overall.
TJ Friedl hit a go-ahead double in the fourth for Cincinnati, which had lost 11 of 13.
Elly De La Cruz stole two more bases to bring his majors-leading total to 25. He has six over the past three games.
De La Cruz singled with one out in the first. He immediately stole his 24th base and then scored on Spencer Steer’s double one out later, then singled in the third and advanced to second on an error before stealing third base. He scored on Steer’s RBI single. De La Cruz struck out swinging in a nine-pitch at-bat to end the fourth.
Only eight others since 1901 have had 25 or more stolen bases in the first 38 games — Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson doing it three times each, according to MLB.
Abbott (2-4), who had been 0-3 over four starts since a road win against the Chicago White Sox on April 12, allowed two runs on six hits over five innings with two strikeouts and a walk.
Thairo Estrada homered in the first for San Francisco, which couldn’t provide enough support for Logan Webb (3-4). The right-hander lost at home for the first time in four starts after beginning 2-0.
The Giants were delayed three hours returning home to the Bay Area from Denver on Thursday and had several travel issues during their recent trip.
The Reds didn’t score more than four runs in a game during their longest losing streak in two years, but four were enough this time. Alexis Diaz finished it for his second save with a runner at second and the tying run at the plate.
Trainer’s room
Left-handed Brandon Williamson is scheduled to report to Dayton in a few days and will begin a rehab assignment as he recovers from a strained pitching shoulder. Manager David Bell said Williamson remains on target to rejoin the Reds late this month . ... Right-hander Ian Gibaut had anterior interosseous nerve-release surgery on his right arm Thursday and reported immediately feeling better.
He was shut down in April with lingering forearm issues.