The hottest team in baseball was stopped on Tuesday night. Behind four RBIs from Jay Bruce and three from Zack Cozart, the Reds marched to an 8-2 victory over the Rangers that snapped their seven-game winning streak.
Rangers starter Colby Lewis, who was four outs from a perfect game his last time out, saw his night go sideways quickly. Bruce’s three-run homer gave Cincinnati a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
“Any time you can get the momentum on your side like that, it’s very important,” Bruce said. “To nick a guy like that early, who’s been having a lot of success and has been pitching very, very well, it’s big. You give your pitcher a 3-0 lead, I think they’ll feel a lot better than having to battle from behind or tied.”
It was a 3-2 game in the fifth when Cozart hit a two-run triple to right-center and scored on Billy Hamilton’s sacrifice fly.
“The two-strike counts, which he’s been good at all season, he seemed to get hurt in those situations,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said of Lewis. “Typically, that comes down to execution.”
Not to be overlooked was the strong seven-inning performance from Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, who allowed two earned runs and five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Jurickson Profar made it a one-run game in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run homer to right field — his third of the season. Raisel Iglesias returned from the disabled list and pitched the final two innings for Cincinnati in his first game since April 25.
At 46-26, the Rangers still have the best record in the American League and the second-best record in baseball.
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