Nathaniel Lowe is heating up at the perfect time. The Cincinnati Reds first baseman launched his fifth home run in just six games, powering the Reds to a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday and clinching the series win, two games to one.
For a team that's already making history, this win was another milestone. Cincinnati improved to 20-11, marking their best 31-game start since 2006. Even more impressive? The Reds have now won 20 games before May 1 for the first time in franchise history—a testament to their hot start and growing confidence.
The game didn't begin smoothly for Cincinnati. Rockies' Tyler Freeman kicked things off with his first home run of the season in the top of the first, giving Colorado a quick 2-0 lead. But the Reds' Andrew Abbott settled in nicely after that shaky start. The left-hander, who entered with a 6.54 ERA through his first six outings, turned in his best performance of the year. Abbott allowed just two runs on five hits over six innings, striking out five and walking two to earn his first win of the season.
Lowe answered back in the second inning, taking former Red Michael Lorenzen deep to cut the deficit to 2-1. Lorenzen struggled against his old club, surrendering four earned runs on four hits—including two home runs—over 5 1/3 innings.
The Reds' defense also stepped up in a big way. Elly De La Cruz made a diving stop to his left to retire TJ Rumfield in the second, and Sal Stewart snared a liner off Kyle Karros' bat in the same inning. In the fourth, TJ Friedl made a sliding catch in center field to rob Freeman of extra bases.
Colorado threatened in the fifth, loading the bases with one out, but Abbott escaped unscathed. That proved to be a turning point. Friedl made the Rockies pay in the bottom of the inning, crushing a two-run homer—his second of the season—to give Cincinnati a 3-2 lead.
The Reds added insurance in the sixth. After Lowe doubled, JJ Bleday was intentionally walked, and Spencer Steer delivered a single to drive in Lowe, making it 4-2. Steer finished 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
For the Rockies, Hunter Goodman had a tough day at the plate, striking out three times for the eighth time this season.
Looking ahead, the Rockies will send right-hander Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.62) to the mound Friday as they open a series against Atlanta. The Reds, meanwhile, travel to Pittsburgh, where righty Brady Singer (2-1, 4.97) will take the ball for the series opener.