Singer, Reds show their mettle by bouncing right back vs. Phils

CINCINNATI -- The Reds haven't had very long winning streaks this season, but they also haven't had a losing streak longer than four games and are the only team not to have been swept in a series.

One reason is they don't dwell on the previous day.

Although not quite the Ted Lasso "be a goldfish" quote about having a short memory, Reds manager Terry Francona has long had his players task-focused on the game squarely in front of them, rather than those already won or lost. It paid off again during a 6-1 win over the Phillies on Tuesday at Great American Ball Park. The Reds kept pace with the Mets, who defeated the Braves, in the National League Wild Card race, remaining just two games behind New York for the final spot.

“There’s a reason that you hear me say it, because it’s the best way I know how to try to be good," Francona said. "It’s not coach-speak or manager-speak, it’s how I feel. If I didn’t feel that way, I wouldn’t say it.”

On Monday, All-Star Andrew Abbott took a 1-0 lead into the top of the eighth before losing, 4-1, after the Phillies scored four in the inning. This time, the offense provided Brady Singer with cushion to spare.

Cincinnati put the previous night behind it in a variety of ways. A team that came in 15-20 vs. left-handed starting pitchers this season, it stacked a lineup full of right-handed hitters against Phillies lefty starter Ranger Suárez, who had a 2.12 career ERA against the Reds in nine games.

Then, it was about taking no plays for granted. With two on and one out in the bottom of the third against Suárez, TJ Friedl grounded to second base for what was initially ruled an inning-ending double play. But Friedl had hustled all the way to first base and appeared to beat the throw. The original call was overturned on replay review.

Next, Spencer Steer hit a two-out, two-run double to left field to break a scoreless tie.

“It’s huge," catcher Jose Trevino said about the Reds' ability to bounce back. "Honestly, I think it goes to show what TJ Friedl did, beating out that double play. That led to everything else. I don’t think we get a lot of those runs if TJ doesn’t beat out that double play. It just shows what kind of team we are and what we’re about.”

Leading off the Reds' fourth, Miguel Andujar slugged a 2-0 pitch to left field for his second homer in three games. Andujar, who was acquired at the Trade Deadline to face guys like Suárez, is batting a Major League-leading .412 vs. lefty pitchers with a 1.071 OPS.

"That’s a difference maker against a lefty," Francona said. “I think we can be more competitive against both sides of pitchers because of the moves that got made.”

The Reds added three more runs in the sixth inning to make it a six-run lead, with Trevino's two-run single to center field scoring Austin Hays and Matt McLain being the big hit.

Singer took care of business on his end while pitching six scoreless innings with three hits, no walks and six strikeouts while throwing only 71 pitches.

“Just able to command the ball, which is really good. Love the no walks," Singer said.

One night after Abbott retired his first 12 Phillies batters in a row, Singer did likewise on Tuesday. Leading off the top of the fifth inning, a Nick Castellanos sharp ground ball got past Elly De La Cruz in what appeared to be an error. The official scorer ruled it a hit.

Singer was going to be lifted by Francona even before a 28-minute rain delay before the top of the seventh inning. Two starts ago vs. the Braves, he threw six scoreless innings but didn't recover great before throwing only 3 2/3 innings with four runs allowed at Pittsburgh on Thursday.

“It’s August. We just wanted to kind of protect him a little," Francona said. "We’ve got an extra day [off] coming and when he doesn’t fight on it, I think it’s probably the right thing to do.”

Singer believed he would be good to go moving forward.

“It’s this time of the year. You start getting a little tired and fatigued, stuff like that. It’s just managing it," he said. “Everything felt good. I was pleased with how I felt."

The Reds extended their streak of sweepless series to start the season to 39. Now they have a chance to win a series over the NL East-leading Phillies on Wednesday, with Hunter Greene coming off the injured list to make the start after being out for over two months with a right groin strain.

With a win, Greene's injury issues could be the latest thing the Reds successfully put in the rearview.