Mike Moustakas stars as Cincinnati Reds win big on Opening Day

With 30 players on each team, plus coaches and trainers, groundskeepers, front-office members and 35 credentialed media, there were likely fewer than 150 people in the stadium as the Cincinnati Reds opened the pandemic-shortened season against the Tigers on Friday.

A number of players making their Reds debut contributed to a 7-1 victory, but no one did more than second baseman Mike Moustakas, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

The Reds scored two runs in the first inning without recording an out. With the bases loaded, Phillip Ervin scored when Nick Castellanos was hit by a pitch. The next batter, Moustakas singled to score Joey Votto.

The Reds could have had more. They had the bases loaded and no outs. But Matt Davidson popped out, and Nick Senzel and Freddy Galvis grounded out.

The Reds added to their lead in the third. Castellanos doubled. Moustakas followed with an RBI single.

Reds starter Sonny Gray didn’t give up a run until the third when C.J. Cron hit a solo home run into the empty bleachers in left. Gray left after six innings, having allowed one run on three hits while striking out nine.

Votto extended the Reds’ lead to 4-1 with a home run in the fifth.

Shogo Akiyama came off the bench to drive in a run with a single in the sixth in his first big-league at-bat. He became the first Japanese player to appear in a game for the Reds.

An inning later, Moustakas hit a two-run home run halfway up into the stands in right.

The Reds and Tigers play game two of the three-game series at 5:10 p.m. Saturday. Luis Castillo starts for the Reds.