HOUSTON -- The Reds scored as many runs in the first inning Saturday night against the Astros as they had in the previous six games combined.
Cincinnati sent 14 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs off Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. and reliever Logan VanWey.
It was the first time the Reds scored 10 runs in the first inning since they plated 14 in the first in an 18-2 win against the Astros on Aug. 3, 1989, in Cincinnati. The Reds’ last 10-run inning overall was the second inning of an 11-6 win over the Pirates on July 29, 2019, also in Cincinnati.
The Reds used patience and timely hitting to get to both Astros pitchers.
TJ Friedl walked to lead off and Matt McLain was hit by a pitch before Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run home run into the Crawford Boxes in left field.
Santiago Espinal and Spencer Steer both worked one-out walks before Tyler Stephenson hit an RBI single and Will Benson drove an RBI double to end McCullers’ night.
Connor Joe greeted VanWey with a walk to load the bases. Friedl followed with an RBI single and McLain worked an RBI walk before De La Cruz had an RBI groundout. Gavin Lux hit a two-run single to cap the scoring that inning.
Espinal struck out to end the frame, but not before the Reds had tallied 11 baserunners on five hits, five walks and one hit-by-pitch.