Elly De La Cruz Hits GRAND SLAM on Bobblehead Night, Cincinnati Reds HEATING UP! | CBox Reds | G15

Elly De La Cruz Hits GRAND SLAM on Bobblehead Night, Cincinnati Reds HEATING UP! | CBox Reds | G15

Trace Fowler and Nick Kirby will be LIVE in the 9th inning for Chatterbox Reds Postgame Show.

The Cincinnati Reds face the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in a 6:40 p.m. ET matchup, continuing their weekend series. Both teams entered the series tied at 5-8, battling to climb out of the NL Central’s basement. The Reds, coming off a 5-3 win over the Pirates on April 11, aim to build momentum, while Pittsburgh seeks to even the score.

The Reds’ offense has shown flashes of potential, led by Elly De La Cruz, who boasts a .236 batting average, two home runs, and 12 RBIs, ranking him among MLB’s top run producers early this season. TJ Friedl, hitting .250, adds consistency, with his speed and gap power stressing defenses. Cincinnati’s lineup has struggled for hits at times—managing just three in Friday’s win—but capitalized on Pirates’ miscues, like Endy Rodríguez’s throwing error, to plate runs. Brady Singer, who started Friday, has been a bright spot for the Reds’ rotation, though today’s probable starter, Andrew Abbott, makes his season debut after rehabbing a rotator cuff issue. Abbott’s command will be key against a Pirates lineup that’s shown patience, drawing 10 walks in the series opener.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, leans on Ke’Bryan Hayes, who’s hitting .239 with extra-base pop, and Oneil Cruz, whose power potential remains despite a recent finger injury. The Pirates’ offense ranks near the bottom in batting average (.198), but Adam Frazier’s two-run homer on Friday hints at their ability to strike. Bailey Falter, who took the loss Friday, struggled against Cincinnati’s aggressive approach, and today’s starter, Andrew Heaney, must navigate a Reds lineup that’s scored 30 runs in Singer’s three starts. Pittsburgh’s bullpen, which allowed two unearned runs late Friday, needs to tighten up to keep the game close.

Betting odds favor the Reds at -129, with the Pirates at +109 and an over/under of 8.5 runs, suggesting a competitive tilt. Cincinnati’s 6-4 record against the spread over their last 10 games gives them an edge, but Pittsburgh’s resilience as underdogs (1-6 when +109 or worse) can’t be ignored. With both teams desperate to gain ground in a tight division, expect a scrappy, high-energy clash driven by young stars and opportunistic play.

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PODCAST LINKS:

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3jlFDPP…
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/733…
Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0…
iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/109483256
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/chatter…
Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id5327101?…
Player FM: https://player.fm/series/3450767

Andrew Abbott, Julian Aguiar, Graham Ashcraft, Scott Barlow, Emilio Pagán, Fernando Cruz, Alexis Díaz, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, Tony Santillan, Carson Spiers, Brent Suter, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, Tyler Stephenson, José Trevino, Jeimer Candelario, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Santiago Espinal, Jonathan India, Noelvi Marte, Edwin Ríos, Will Benson, TJ Friedl, Jake Fraley, Stuart Fairchild, Austin Hays, Spencer Steer, Jacob Hurtubise, Blake Dunn, Cooper Bowman

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