“America’s Team, baby, all the way,” second baseman Jonathan India said Wednesday during a postgame interview with Jim Day, of Bally Sports Ohio.
Rookie shortstop Matt McLain and India hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run fifth inning as the Reds completed a three-game sweep of the worst team in baseball, the Kansas City Royals (18-50), with a 7-4 victory.
The Reds’ reward was an off day Thursday before the start of a three-game series against the defending World Series champion Houston Astros (39-29) on Friday as a nine-game road trip continued.
The Reds have won five games in a row for the second time this season. Here are five reasons for the five victories:
1. Strong closer: Alexis Diaz (2-1, 1.61 ERA) has saved three games during the winning streak. He’s tied for fifth in baseball with 17 saves. He has allowed one earned run in his last 13 appearances and has allowed one hit in his last 6 2/3 innings.
Diaz has pitched the ninth inning in four of the last five games. He replaced Daniel Duarte in the ninth inning Wednesday with the Reds leading 7-3 and two runners on base. He hit the first batter he faced but ended the game with a strikeout and groundout.
“Alexis and I had a good conversation before the game, and he felt 100%,” manager David Bell said. “We won’t always be able to throw him as often as he’s pitched over the last week, but we have a good trusting relationship. There will be times when I won’t allow it, but today he was fully available and felt great.”
2. Speedy lineup: Rule changes have caused stolen-base numbers to increase by more than 40% across baseball. The Reds have taken advantage more than most teams.
The Reds have stolen seven bases in the last five games. They’re tied for second in baseball with 70 stolen bases. That’s already their highest total since 2019 when they had 80. They stole 58 last season.
India leads the Reds with 12 stolen bases. Elly De La Cruz has stolen five bases in his first 12 games.
3. Rookie contributions: Nine players have made their big-league debuts for the Reds this season.
McLain, who’s hitting .328 in 23 games, and De La Cruz, who’s hitting .235 after going hitless in the last three games, have become everyday starters. Spencer Steer, who debuted last season for the Reds but is still considered a rookie, leads the team with nine home runs.
Andrew Abbott has not allowed a run in his first two big-league starts and earned the victory Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals as the five-game winning streak began.
Ricky Karcher earned the save Monday in a 5-4 victory against the Royals in his debut. He became the first Reds reliever to earn a save in his debut since the save stat was introduced in 1969. Another rookie, Brandon Williamson, picked up the win in that game, allowing three earned runs in five innings in his sixth start.
4. Comeback ability: The Reds recorded their league-leading 22nd come-from-behind victory Tuesday in a 5-4 victory against the Royals. They have trailed in three of the last five games.
5. Consistent offense: Since being shut out 6-0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw last week, the Reds have scored at least four runs in the last five games. They rank 10th in baseball with 323 runs scored despite the fourth-lowest home run total (57). They matched their season high with four home runs Wednesday.
“(Home runs) can help,” Bell said. “It’s the at-bats that lead to the three-run home runs, too.”
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