On the field, the Reds had ways of celebrating that did not involve cleaning tools. Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl ran at each other near second base and jumped high in the air to slap hands. Nick Senzel and Spencer Steer hugged on the infield. There were high fives everywhere before players returned to the clubhouse.
“It’s very inspiring to be around what’s happening in the clubhouse, what’s happening on the field,” manager David Bell said. “What’s happening in the ballpark, that stuff means a lot to us. The energy our fans are bringing, seeing them enjoy the game, seeing them enjoy what’s happening with our team and how we’re playing the game, it means a lot to us.”
Catcher Luke Maile, whose two-run single in the fifth started the Reds’ comeback from a 3-0 deficit. said he didn’t have the words to describe the winning streak and what the fans have brought to the team.
“It’s really cool,” he said. “I don’t know what else to say. It’s just awesome.”
To put the Reds’ streak, the franchise’s second longest in the modern era, into perspective ...
• There have been 218 winning streaks of 11 games or longer since 1901 and 52 in this century, according to Stathead.com.
• Ninety eight of those streaks ended after 11 games.
• Thirty seven teams won 12 games in a row but lost going for No. 13.
• Twenty nine teams won 13 games before losing.
• Twenty four teams won 14 games in a row.
• There have been 12 15-game winning streaks, six 16-game streaks, six 17-game streaks, two 18-game streaks, two 19-game streaks, one 20-game streak (2002 Oakland Athletics), one 21-game streak (1935 Chicago Cubs), one 22-game streak (2017 Cleveland Indians) and one 26-game streak (1916 New York Giants).
The Reds (40-35) will put their streak on the line Friday in the start of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves (47-26) in Cincinnati. With a victory, the Reds would match the 1957 and 1939 Reds, who both won 12 games in a row.
No Reds team in the modern era has won more than 12 games in a row. The Reds won 14 games in a row in 1899 and 13 in a row in 1890.
The Braves own the second-best record in baseball behind only the Tampa Bay Rays (52-25). The Braves swept the Reds in April in three-one run games.
The Reds will reach the midpoint of the 162-game season next Wednesday in the final game of a three-game series on the road against the Baltimore Orioles. On Thursday, they got to enjoy an off day at home with a 1½-game lead in the National League Central Division.
A number of Reds, including De La Cruz, Friedl, Spencer Steer and Jonathan India, used their Wednesday night off after the game to cheer on FC Cincinnati, which tied a MLS record by winning its 10th straight home match to start a season, at TQL Stadium.
The Reds are basking in the attention their winning streak has brought them. They averaged just over 24,000 fans in the series against the Rockies after averaging just under 22,000 in the previous home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“It speaks volumes about Cincinnati,” said starting pitcher Andrew Abbott, who struck out 10 batters in six innings Wednesday. “It’s great seeing the fans here. David Bell just told us about the Bengals showing tapes of us and how we’re playing right now. I think that’s pretty special when we can all come together, and it definitely makes it easier because the fans provide so much energy for us, too. We’re down 3-0, but they’re clapping and getting into it. It’s kind of easy to use that to your advantage. It’s hard for other teams to come in here and then hear that kind of noise and be able to do things right. It’s definitely a great thing to happen.”
FRIDAY’S GAME
Braves at Reds, 6:40 p.m., Bally Sports Ohio, 700, 1410
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