Sal Stewart homered and drove in five runs on Saturday night to help the streaking Cincinnati Reds earn a 9-2 victory to clinch a series win over the visiting Detroit Tigers.
Brady Singer (2-1) allowed two runs on eight hits across 5 1/3 innings for the Reds, who have won nine of their last 11 games. Singer struck out three and TJ Friedl went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, as Cincinnati scored nine runs for the second straight day.
Jack Flaherty (0-2) lasted just two innings for Detroit, yielding six runs on five hits, striking out four and walking two. Spencer Torkelson homered in his fourth straight game for the Tigers, who have dropped four of their last six.
Kevin McGonigle turned on the second pitch of the game, connecting on his second homer of the year to give Detroit a 1-0 lead.
After Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz each earned out-one walks in the bottom of the first, Stewart’s three-run homer put the Reds ahead 3-1.
Nathaniel Lowe followed with a solo homer, his third in the last two games, to make it 4-1.
In the second inning, De La Cruz belted a two-run blast to extend the margin to five before Torkelson’s solo shot cut the Detroit deficit to 6-2 in the fourth.
Ke’Bryan Hayes and Friedl singled off Tigers left-hander Tyler Holton to begin the sixth before Connor Seabold entered for Detroit. After De La Cruz’s walk loaded the bases, Stewart’s single to right plated two to push the lead to 8-2.
Four Reds relievers combined to throw 3 2/3 stellar innings, including Emilio Pagan’s scoreless ninth.
