Spring training is often said to be an unreliable indicator of future performance, and while that’s true, success is always preferable to struggles. On Monday afternoon, the Cincinnati Reds enjoyed plenty of success, with new outfielder Austin Hays leading the way. Hays delivered three hits, including two home runs, as the Reds cruised to an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Game Highlights
Cincinnati wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. After Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson singled with two outs, Austin Hays smashed a double off the wall. Initially, it appeared both runners scored, but Hays was thrown out attempting to stretch the hit into a triple, seemingly ending the inning. However, the home plate umpire ruled that Stephenson had not crossed the plate before Hays was tagged out—a call that replay showed to be incorrect. After a review between innings, the call was overturned, giving the Reds a 2-0 lead.
Brady Singer struck out three batters in the first inning but faced some trouble in the second. A double by David Bote and a walk to Andy Pages put two runners on, but Singer induced a double play to escape unscathed.
Carson Spiers entered in the third and allowed a run when Sean McLain, younger brother of Reds infielder Matt McLain, doubled and later scored on Eddie Rosario’s two-out single. Cincinnati responded in the fourth when Tyler Stephenson walked and Austin Hays crushed a two-run homer, extending the lead to 4-1.
Jake Fraley was hit by a pitch later in the inning and, after a brief check by the trainer, remained in the game but was replaced defensively in the fifth inning. While this may have been pre-planned, it’s something to monitor in the coming days.
The Reds continued their offensive surge in the fifth. TJ Friedl led off with a double and scored on a Matt McLain single. Hays followed with his second two-run homer of the day, bringing his RBI total to six and widening the lead.
Cincinnati wasn’t done with the long ball. Top prospect Sal Stewart launched a solo home run in the eighth, sending a fastball over the center-field berm.
In the ninth, Randy Wynne worked around a walk and an error to close out the game, sealing an 8-1 win. The victory evened the Reds’ spring record at 2-2 while dropping the Dodgers to 1-4.
Notes and Stats
- Austin Hays had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs, and six RBI.
- Reds pitchers dominated with 17 total strikeouts. Brady Singer fanned four in his two innings, while Carson Spiers added five over two innings. The remaining five pitchers combined for eight more strikeouts.