Early homers jump-start Reds

Reds 7, Indians 2

CLEVELAND — The Reds got off to a scorching start at the plate before experiencing a scare in the field.

Manager David Bell was grateful his team survived it.

“We got lucky,” he said.

Rookie Nick Senzel and Joey Votto hit back-to-back home runs to open the game before Senzel and Jose Peraza walked away unhurt following a violent collision in the outfield as the Reds beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Wednesday.

The quick homers by Senzel and Votto — the first to start a game for Cincinnati since 2001 — off rookie Zach Plesac (1-2) marked the first time an opposing team began with back-to-back homers in Cleveland in 118 years.

It set the tone for the Reds, who earned a split of the two-game series between Ohio’s teams and snapped an eight-game losing streak in interleague play.

Eugenio Suarez and Curt Casali also homered for Cincinnati.

Anthony Desclafani (3-3) made the early run support stand, Reds center fielder Nick Senzel, left, and second baseman Jose Peraza collide while pursuing a ball hit by the Indians’ Francisco Lindor into short center field in the first inning. Senzel caught the ball and held on for the out.

allowing one run and four hits in 5 innings.

Carlos Santana hit his 14th homer for Cleveland.

There were fans still finding their seats when Senzel and Votto jumped on Plesac.

Senzel drove Plesac’s fourth pitch onto the pedestrian patio beyond the leftfield wall for his fifth homer. The Reds had just wrapped up congratulating him in the

dugout when Votto hit a 3-and-2 pitch into the right-field stands for his sixth homer.

Those two bangs were followed by another loud one in the bottom of the inning when Senzel and second baseman Jose Peraza had a frightening crash in center field.

Indians leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor sent a bloop into the outfield that Senzel caught on the run before slamming into a charging Peraza.

Senzel took the worst of the impact as he was struck in the face by Peraza’s elbow. Senzel crumpled to the ground and shortstop Jose Iglesias waved to the dugout to get his teammate quick medical attention.

Both players avoided serious injury and stayed in the game.

“It happens when you’re trying to get outs,” Senzel said. “I have a better chance coming in on the ball than he does going back. Right off the jump you can’t call it because you don’t know if you can catch it. Then you’re going for it. You call him off. It was just too late.”

As Lindor’s ball got deeper, Bell braced himself.

“That play is always going to be scary because they’re both going after the ball,” Bell said. “They did a pretty good job of avoiding each other — at least where it wasn’t serious, but it could have been. As it turns out they’re both going to be fine.”

Peraza later delivered an RBI double in the fifth to give the Reds a 3-1 lead.

Suarez led off the sixth with 15th homer and the third surrendered by Plesac, who had allowed just two in his previous three starts.