CLEVELAND -- Andrew Abbott just had his resume game for consideration for the All-Star Game.
The Reds lefty starter pitched the first complete game of his big league career and worked a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over the Guardians on Tuesday night at Progressive Field. Abbott allowed one walk and struck out five while throwing 110 pitches.
“That was impressive. That was really impressive," manager Terry Francona said.
It was the first nine-inning complete game for a Cincinnati pitcher since Wade Miley's no-hitter at Cleveland on May 7, 2021, and the first 1-0 shutout since Homer Bailey also threw his own no-hitter at Pittsburgh on Sept. 28, 2012.
Meanwhile, the Reds (35-33) tied a season high with their fifth consecutive win as they moved two games above .500 for the first time since May 3.
Trending towards locking up the Most Outstanding Player Award for the Ohio Cup, Will Benson opened the fifth inning with his ninth hit of the season series vs. Cleveland, a double to left-center field. He is now 9-for-19 with four homers in five Ohio Cup games. Spencer Steer followed Benson with an RBI single to break the scoreless tie against Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi.
Over 11 starts, Abbott is 6-1 with a 1.87 ERA -- including a 1.32 ERA in his last eight starts since May 1. In nine of those starts, he allowed either zero or one run. He considered this current run of success even better than his first 10 games in the Majors in 2023, when he had a 1.90 ERA
“I think so, just because of the experience and the guys know you a little more now," Abbott said. "They’ve seen you plenty of times. I’ve pitched against almost anybody. Those guys are starting to learn who you are."
Outfield defense played an important part in keeping Abbott in the driver's seat. To open the bottom of the fourth inning, center fielder TJ Friedl made a nice catch at the warning track on David Fry's drive to right-center field, before crashing hard into the wall.
Easily the play of the game occurred in the bottom of the seventh inning, as right fielder Jake Fraley laid out for a spectacular diving catch on José Ramírez's tailing line drive. Both Abbott and catcher Tyler Stephenson raised both of their arms in the air with appreciation.
“I wouldn’t have been in that spot without the defense behind me," Abbott said. “Fraley’s catch out there was incredible. I’m surprised he even got to it, frankly.”
“It kind of had that feel like a no-hitter or perfect game," Fraley said. "It kind of had that feeling of, 'Every pitch matters.' When you’re going through a game like that, you’ve got to stay locked in above and beyond.”
Aided by a 10-pitch sixth inning and a seven-pitch seventh inning, Abbott demonstrated superb efficiency over his first eight frames. He was at 90 pitches when Francona checked in on him.
“I just came in after the eighth and he was like, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘I’m good. I’ll go back out,'" Abbott said.
“More than that, he felt good," Francona said. "It wasn’t terribly hot or anything like that. He was efficient. I’m not dying to take guys out. I like when they want to keep pitching.”
Trouble came in the ninth when Abbott walked leadoff batter Steven Kwan on five pitches. In a full count to Fry, Abbott got a hard ground ball at 105.6 mph hit to Elly De La Cruz at shortstop. De La Cruz, who committed a potentially costly throwing error in the eighth inning, snatched the ball and fired to Matt McLain, who turned the double play.
“Giant exhale. Just relief," Abbott said. "I know we had José Ramírez coming up right after. It was just relief knowing I got him off the basepaths and I was dealing with José with nobody on.”
Ramírez hit a single to center field that once again brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate. In one final solid outfield play, Benson tracked and caught Carlos Santana's drive to the warning track in left-center field to end the game.
“Tight game the whole way," Steer said. "Pitching and defense won us a game today, especially in that ninth inning.”
Abbott also threw five scoreless innings in a 3-1 win vs. Cleveland on May 18 in Cincinnati.
"I thought his stuff was sharper tonight," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "We hit some balls hard. Just weren't able to get anything going. He pitched an outstanding game. He was incredible."