Reds hang on to beat Giants, snap losing streak

Andrew Abbott and four relievers combined on a seven-hitter, Stuart Fairchild homered and the Cincinnati Reds held on to beat the host San Francisco Giants 4-2 on Friday night to snap an eightgame losing streak.

Fairchild’s homer was a pinch-hit, inside-the-park home run in the eighth off the second Giants pitcher, Erik Miller, to increase the lead to 4-2.

He became the first Reds batter to hit a pinchhit inside-the-parker since Champ Summers on June 12, 1977, vs. the Expos.

Elly De La Cruz followed two hits with stolen bases that led to runs as the Reds spoiled the opener of San Francisco’s ninegame homestand.

Getting a solo homer from Thairo Estrada and an RBI single from Tyler Fitzgerald to overcome De La Cruz’s first single/ steal/run combination, the Giants led 2-1 before the Reds’ star shortstop did it again in the third.

This time, his speed pressured Fitzgerald, the Giants’ substitute center fielder after an injury to Austin Slater, into an error on a single, putting De La Cruz on second. He then quickly stole third and came home on a Spencer Steer single.

Cincinnati never trailed again, thanks to Abbott (2-4) getting through five innings while limiting the Giants to two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out two.

The left-hander had been 0-3 in his past four starts.

Emilio Pagan, Justin Wilson, Lucas Sims and Alexis Diaz took it from there, recording 12 outs among the final 14 batters, allowing just one hit and one walk.

The walk came to Mike Yastrzemski with two outs in the ninth, but Diaz struck out Blake Sabol to wrap up his seventh save.

Giants starter Logan Webb (3-4) went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and eight hits. In losing his third straight start, he walked two and struck out six.

Steer finished with two hits and two RBIs for the Reds, who were opening a 10-game trip after having gone 0-6 on a homestand that ended Thursday.

Heliot Ramos collected a single and a double for the Giants, who were outhit 9-7. Estrada’s homer was his sixth of the season.

NEVILLE E. GUARD USA TODAY NETWORK Reds pinch-hitter Stuart Fairchild slides in safely against Giants catcher Jakson Reetz for an inside the park home run during the eighth inning Friday in San Francisco.