Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez (28) and shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) celebrate after the Reds defeated the Miami Marlins during the of a baseball game, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Miami.
Lynne Sladky – AP
How can a team win seven of its first games in the season when it is dead last in MLB in hitting with runners in scoring position with a .165 average?
How can a team start the season 7-3 when it is dead last in scoring runs, 2.8 runs per game?
Say hello to the early-season version of the 2026 Cincinnati Reds.
It is called pitching and defense.
The Reds recorded their third shutout of the season, all by 2-0, with a 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins on Monday, April 6, 2026 in loanDeposit Park.
Starter Brandon Williamson, Brock Burke, Tony Santillan and closer Emilio Pagan held the Marlins to three hits while the Reds won their four straight.
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And they have won all seven games by two runs or less — 6-5, 3-2, 2-0, 5-3, 2-0, 2-1 and 2-0.
The offense, what little there was and has been, was provided by Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart and Tyler Stephenson.
They were facing Miami’s Janson Junk, a pitcher who last season held them to one unearned run and one hit in seven innings.
And Junk, who attended Seattle University with Detroit Tigers super-arm pitcher Tarik Skubal, was just as difficult Monday.
The Reds did just enough.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) and right fielder Will Benson (30) celebrate after the Reds defeated the Miami Marlins in a baseball game, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Miami.
Lynne Sladky – AP
De La Cruz punched a hustle double — on a ball that is a single for 99% of MLB players — with one out in the fourth.
Stewart followed with a run-scoring line drive single up the middle and it was 1-0.
Stephenson provided some much-needed breathing space with a leadoff home run off Junk leading off the eighth.
The rookie Stewart is a Miami native and had close to 300 family, close acquaintances, friends and former coaches whooping it up in the stands.
“I was super-excited to have my family here,” Stewart told reporters after his first MLB game in his hometown. “Miami is in my blood, it’s where I grew up and runs deep in my family.
“It was pretty crazy,” he added. “I was super happy everyone was here and I’m glad we got a win.”
Williamson’s changeup and cutter had the Marlins fishing and mostly missing during his 6 2/3 innings of three-hit shutout pitching with one walk and four strikeouts.
It was quite the turnaround from his first start this season, his first start after missing all of last season.
His first start was an 8-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates during which he gave up six runs, six hits, two walks and three home runs.
“I just stayed on track tonight,” Williamson told reporters. “I knew I did some things poorly in my first game, mostly mental mistakes. I won’t say I got sped up, but I definitely wasn’t clicking and not executing good pitches. Maybe I was trying to do too much.”
So how did the turnabout come about?
“I had some good conversations with the players and staff, leaned on them, and they helped me find my mental state to perform today,” he said.
Cincinnati Reds’ Tyler Stephenson tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Miami.
Lynne Sladky – AP
His pitch-mix induced nine ground ball outs as the Reds completed their 10th straight game without an error.
“That was awesome, helped me get deep into the game,” he told reporters. “I could throw good changeups and cutters in the zone that gave my infielders and outfielders a chance to make a play.”
There was only one breath-holding moment after Stewart’s run-scoring single gave the Reds a 1-0 lead.
With two outs in the sixth, Miami catcher Agustín Ramírez drove one to right field that was home run-bound. But the ball hit two inches below the top of the nine-foot high wall and bounced back.
Ramirez, the potential tying run, was on third, but Williamson struck out Jakob Marsee.
While manager Tito Francona is most appreciative of the practically perfect pitching by his starting staff, he keeps a low profile about it.
“You know I stay in the moment,” he told reporters. “But tonight was fun to watch. Willie (Williamson) had thrown the ball so well all spring and then had a little bit of a hiccup in his first start.
“He came out tonight and he really pitched … and he had to,” he added. “They hit one ball late real hard to center and they hit that one ball to right that probably stayed in by about two inches that would have tied the game.”
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson (55) is met in the dugout after being relieved during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Miami.
Lynne Sladky – AP
When Francona said Williams had to pitch real good, he could have said all his pitchers have to be real good because the offense is in the deep freeze.
“He changed speeds, he spun it, he threw his fastball, he worked ahead. He pitched,” said Francona. “When you have to respect three or four pitches, it makes it hard.”
That about covers every facet a pitcher needs to do to win baseball games.
Asked if he sees his hitters pressing, Francona said, “No. I think our guys play to the scoreboard really well.”
TJ Friedl entered the game 3 for 30 and singled twice, one a bunt.
“TJ didn’t get off to a very good start, but I haven’t seen one change in his personality,” said Francona. “I really don’t. If I did, I’d talk to them.”
Stewart, the one hitter who is actually hitting, .353, said, “Our offense has to step it up a little more and the pitching is picking us up right now. We’re having good at-bats and we’re hitting the ball hard. You know, sometimes that’s how it goes.”
And that’s how it has gone for 10 games for the pitch-good, hit-bad Reds.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) throws to first where Miami Marlins’ Otto Lopez was safe with a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Miami.
Lynne Sladky – AP