CINCINNATI (AP) — Aristides Aquino hit a three-run homer, Tyler Naquin drove in two with a pinch-hit triple and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4 on Saturday night.
Aquino’s blast into the left-field seats highlighted a five-run third inning for the Reds, who bounced back after being routed by the Tigers on Friday for their seventh loss in 10 games.
Despite the slump, Cincinnati is still situated in the second NL wildcard slot, ahead of San Diego.
Eric Haase hit a three-run homer to put the Tigers up in the third, but the Reds answered with the big inning of their own.
A bases-loaded walk to Dustin Garneau in the Tigers fourth made it a one-run game. But Tyler Mahle (11-5) got out of it with no further damage thanks to a sliding stop by Reds second baseman Jonathan India, who threw out Derek Hill to end the inning.
Naquin, who pinch-hit for Aquino with two outs in the seventh, tripled over the first-base bag to drive in two and give Cincinnati some breathing room.
Mahle went five innings, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out eight. Lucas Sims, Michael Lorenzen and Mychal Givens combined to shut out Detroit over the last four innings, with Givens inducing Miguel Cabrera to hit into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Matthew Boyd (3-7) allowed seven hits and five runs through four innings for Detroit.
TRAINERS ROOM
Reds OF Nick Senzel, who is rehabbing from knee surgery at the team’s Arizona facility, may not return this season. “It didn’t sound like it was going to be any time real soon,” manager David Bell said.
UP NEXT
Tigers right-hander Casey Mize (7-7, 3.59 ERA) will be on the mound to face Reds right-hander (7-14, 4.30) in the rubber game of the interleague series. Mize allowed five hits and three runs through six innings in a loss to Minnesota. Castillo gave up five hits and three runs while striking out eight in six innings in Monday’s loss to the Cardinals.
