The feats of De La Cruz and other Cincinnati Reds hitters have overshadowed what Ashcraft and other starting pitchers have done in recent days. The team’s weak spot for most of the season, the rotation stepped up to lead the Reds to four straight victories entering the series finale Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C.
Ashcraft (4-6, 6.28) allowed one earned run on seven hits in six innings in a 9-2 victory Wednesday.
“It means a lot,” Ashcraft said. “It lets me know that I’m settling back in and finding the zone again. Even in the first inning, I kind of overdid a couple things but came in the second and third and kind of cleaned it back up just carried it on from there.”
The Reds (48-39) secured their seventh straight road series win Wednesday with their 19th victory in the last 23 games. It’s their longest streak since they won eight road series in a row in 1976.
The Reds also moved two games in front of the Milwaukee Brewers (46-41), who lost their second straight one-run game to the Chicago Cubs, in the National League Central Division. It’s the first time the Reds have owned more than a 1½-game lead since April 2015.
In his previous start, Ashcraft allowed one earned run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 7-5 victory against the San Diego Padres. Prior to that, in his first start since returning from a stint on the injured list, he allowed six earned runs on 10 hits in four innings on June 24 in a 7-6 loss to the Braves. His ERA climbed to 7.17 as he failed to get past the fifth inning for the sixth straight time.
The Reds still rank 27th in baseball with a 4.90 ERA. Their starters have a 5.65 ERA, which ranks 28th.
Injuries to Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, who aren’t expected to return until August, as well as Ben Lively forced the Reds to find other arms. They’re now showing improvement.
• On Tuesday in an 8-4 victory against the Nationals, Brett Kennedy was charged with four runs in five innings in his first start with the Reds but left in the sixth with a 7-2 lead. Two of the runners he left on base scored when Fernando Cruz gave up RBI singles.
“That was a winning start,” manager David Bell said. “He did everything right. When you have a lead like that, you can’t pitch to try to try to be perfect. He loves to compete. He attacked the strike zone with his best pitches. He threw strikes and got as far as he possibly could on a really hot day. To get to that point was great.”
Kennedy started the season in the independent Atlantic League and was 2-2 with a 3.71 ERA in four starts with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. This was his first big-league start since 2018 when he was with the Padres.
• In a 3-2 victory Monday against the Nationals, Luke Weaver (2-2, 6.72) allowed two earned runs on six hits in five innings. It was his best start since May 25. In his previous six starts, he allowed at least three runs each time and pitched into the sixth only once.
The Reds have won the last seven times Weaver has taken the mound, averaging 7.6 runs in those games.
“A win’s a win,” Weaver said. “I’m just happy to contribute on the day I’m pitching. It seems we don’t lose when I’m pitching, regardless of my results, but that’s a great place to be.”
• In a 4-3 victory against the Padres on Sunday in Cincinnati, rookie Andrew Abbott (4-0, 1.21) allowed one earned run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings. It was the longest outing by a Reds starter this season and the best of Abbott’s six career starts.
Abbott will start the series opener Friday against the Brewers in Milwaukee. Weaver will pitch Saturday. The starter for the final game before the All-Star break on Sunday has not been announced.
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