logo
Abbott throws 7 strong innings, lifts Reds to 4-1 win over the Cardinals

Abbott throws 7 strong innings, lifts Reds to 4-1 win over the Cardinals

Yahoo22-06-2025
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) and catcher Jose Trevino celebrate a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, right, and Matt McLain (9) celebrate a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) and catcher Jose Trevino celebrate a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz, right, and Matt McLain (9) celebrate a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, June 22, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew Abbott retired the final 18 batters he faced in seven commanding innings, and the Cincinnati Reds avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.
Jose Trevino, Jake Fraley and Elly de la Cruz each doubled and scored, and Matt McLain hit his ninth home run for the Reds.
Advertisement
The Cardinals had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Trevino doubled and scored on Fraley's liner to the right-center field gap that put the Reds ahead 2-1 in the fifth. After a passed ball, Fraley scored on TJ Friedl's sacrifice fly.
Cincinnati extended the lead when de la Cruz doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on Gavin Lux's RBI groundout.
Abbott (7-1) allowed only three singles, including Yohel Pozo's RBI single in the second inning. The Cardinals didn't have another base runner until Taylor Rogers issued a one-out walk to Jose Barrero in the eighth.
Abbott had three strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 1.79. Jake Fraley had 10 putouts in right field on fly balls.
Advertisement
Emilio Pagán worked a spotless ninth for his 18th save in 21 chances.
Miles Mikolas (4-5) allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings for St. Louis. He struck out six and walked one.
McLain put Cincinnati up 1-0 on a 387-foot home run into the right-field bullpen in the first inning.
St. Louis responded with a run in the second on three straight grounders to the right side — singles by Nolan Arenado and Pozo sandwiched around a fielding error by McLain on Thomas Saggese's grounder to second.
Key moment
After Pozo's single tied the game and put runners on first and second with no outs, Abbott struck out Jordan Walker to start his run of dominance. He got Barrero to foul out and Brendan Donovan to fly out to end the threat.
Advertisement
Key stat
The Reds have not been swept in any of their first 25 series this season. It's their longest streak to start a season since 1989 (30 consecutive series).
Up next
The Cardinals host the Cubs on Monday night the first meeting of the division rivals this season, with St. Louis LHP Matthew Liberatore (4-6, 4.08 ERA) set to start.
RHP Nick Lodolo (5-5, 3.71) is set to start the Reds' series opener Monday against the New York Yankees at Great American Ball Park.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rangers hope to flip World Series title script, and finish this regular season how they started '23
Rangers hope to flip World Series title script, and finish this regular season how they started '23

Washington Post

timean hour ago

  • Washington Post

Rangers hope to flip World Series title script, and finish this regular season how they started '23

ARLINGTON, Texas — Chris Young is hoping that the Texas Rangers can flip the script from 2023, when they won their only World Series title . The Rangers would like to finish this regular season the way they started that championship one two years ago. Texas (53-50) went into its day off Thursday, after a three-game series sweep of the Athletics and a week before the trade deadline, with 59 games left. 'I look back on 2023 and we went 40-20 in our first 60 games. And after that, you know, the next 102 we were two games under .500,' Young, the team's president of baseball operations, said before the opener of that series against the A's. 'Every season has a different ebb and flow to it. And my hope is that the next 62 games are our best 62 games of our season. If that's the case, then we'll look back and say, hey, the first half of the season wasn't as much fun as we had hoped, but it was all worth it to get where we wanted to go.' While third in the American League West behind Houston and Seattle, the Rangers were only 1 1/2 games out of the league's final wild-card spot. They won two of three games at the division-leading Astros before the All-Star break, and are 5-1 since, including a series win over AL Central leader Detroit. There are three games at home this weekend against Atlanta and then three in Los Angeles against the Angels before the trade deadline. Texas is 12-6 in July and averaged 5.6 runs per game, nearly two runs a game more than in their first 85 games before that. The pitching and defense have been good all season, with the staff's MLB-best 3.16 ERA and a majors-low 32 fielding errors. The Rangers have allowed two runs or fewer in their last seven games, matching the longest such streak in Texas history. 'If we can continue the progress we've shown over the last several weeks ... it's going to determine a lot,' Young said about what the team might do before the deadline. 'So not to put any more pressure on anything, it's just the reality of this point in the season, and we're looking up in the standings.' Corey Seager, in the fourth season of his $325 million, 10-year deal with Texas, has a 24-game on-base streak. He has hit .356 with eight homers and 22 RBIs in what is the second-longest active streak in the majors, behind the 29 by Milwaukee's Christian Yelich. The two-time World Series MVP shortstop had a 30-game streak last year and a 26-gamer in 2023, making him the only player with streaks of at least 24 games in each of those seasons. Right-hander Jacob deGrom (10-2, 2.28 ERA) was the only Rangers player picked as an All-Star, but the team gave right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (7-3, 1.58) the $100,000 All-Star bonus from his contract even after he was left off the American League squad. Eovaldi is set to start Friday against the Braves, his first game since July 13, when he went 7 2/3 innings in a 5-1 win at Houston before the break. The 35-year-old right-hander was scratched because of back stiffness from last Sunday's game against Oakland, and a matchup with AL All-Star starter Tarik Skubal. The 37-year-old deGrom missed most of the past two seasons after Tommy John surgery, and his 118 1/3 innings pitched are already his most since 2019, when he won his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award with the New York Mets. DeGrom went to Atlanta last week but opted against pitching in the All-Star Game, and the Rangers intentionally gave him a nine-day break between starts. 'If we can keep him out there and keep getting the best version of Jacob for another 10 or so starts, it's a great thing for our club,' Young said. 'He's feeling really good, and we're doing our best to try to protect him from a health and recovery standpoint.' Josh Jung is 4 for 8 with a homer and four runs scored in three games since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock, where the third baseman was sent July 2 when in a bad slump. Jon Gray made his season debut Wednesday against the A's, pitching two innings in relief for the win. The right-hander, who can be a starter or reliever, suffered a fractured forearm when struck by a comeback liner in a spring training game. Joc Pederson, the offseason addition out since May 25 because of a broken right hand, could re-join the team next week after a rehab assignment. ___ AP MLB:

Rich Hill starts for Kansas City Royals: Who are oldest active MLB players?
Rich Hill starts for Kansas City Royals: Who are oldest active MLB players?

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Rich Hill starts for Kansas City Royals: Who are oldest active MLB players?

The Kansas City Royals turned to 45-year-old Rich Hill to start Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs, making the left-handed pitcher the oldest player to appear in MLB this season. Hill pitched five innings against the Cubs, allowing three runs — just one earned — striking out one batter and walking two. The Cubs went on to win the game, 6-0, with Hill taking the loss. Hill was called up from the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers on Monday, July 21. The veteran left-handed pitcher last appeared in the majors late in the 2024 season, making four relief appearances in August and September for the Boston Red Sox. Hill is one of just five players over 45 to play in the majors since 2010, and the first to do so since 2018. Hill also became the oldest player to ever play for the Royals, playing for his 14th MLB team. That ties Edwin Jackson's record for the most teams played for by one player. Here's what to know about Rich Hill and the oldest active players in the majors: Oldest active players in MLB Rich Hill might be the oldest active player in Major League Baseball, but he'll have to stick around for some time to break Satchel Paige's incredible record. Paige was 59 years old when he made his final MLB appearance on Sept. 25, 1965, a record that might never be broken. However, that's not to take away from Hill and the other durable players across the majors who are still plugging away at the top of the sport. Here, per Baseball Reference, is a list of the 10 oldest active MLB players: 1. Rich Hill (Kansas City Royals) - 45 years, 133 days 2. Justin Verlander (San Francisco Giants) - 42 years, 152 days 3. Charlie Morton (Baltimore Orioles) - 41 years, 252 days 4. Max Scherzer (Toronto Blue Jays) - 40 years, 360 days 5. Justin Turner (Chicago Cubs) - 40 years, 241 days 6. Carlos Santana (Cleveland Guardians) - 39 years, 105 days 7. Chris Martin (Texas Rangers) - 39 years, 50 days 8t. Martín Maldonado (San Diego Padres) - 38 years, 340 days 8t. Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres) - 38 years, 340 days 10. Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates) - 38 years, 285 days The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rich Hill tops list of oldest active MLB players

Sean Casey hits back at Anthony Volpe criticism amid slump: ‘Not everybody is A-Rod'
Sean Casey hits back at Anthony Volpe criticism amid slump: ‘Not everybody is A-Rod'

New York Post

time4 hours ago

  • New York Post

Sean Casey hits back at Anthony Volpe criticism amid slump: ‘Not everybody is A-Rod'

Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Anthony Volpe's best baseball is still ahead of him — at least, according to his former hitting coach. Sean Casey, who served as the New York Yankees' interim hitting coach in the second half of 2023 during Volpe's rookie season, pushed back on criticism of the shortstop amid an ongoing offensive and defensive slump. Volpe, 24, holds a .214/.286/.400 slash with a .686 OPS in 2025 — and was dropped to ninth in the lineup this week — to go along with an American League-leading 13 errors at shortstop. In his third MLB season, Volpe has drawn criticism across the baseball world, including from Alex Rodriguez, who recently called his performance 'not winning baseball.' 3 Sean Casey spoke highly of Anthony Volpe on his podcast, 'The Mayor's Office.' AP 'What I would do, look at Derek Jeter's rookie year,' Rodriguez said last week on 'The Michael Kay Show.' 'I would trade Volpe's home runs and RBIs, and I would trade them today, right now, for a .280 batting average, 10-12 home runs, 65-75 RBIs, and give me 40 stolen bases and play lockdown defense and become the best bunter on the team. 'That is a formula to win.' Casey isn't buying that a change in approach is a cure for Volpe's woes. The 12-year MLB veteran and three-time All-Star sidestepped Rodriguez's criticism, touting Volpe's mindset and approach. 3 Anthony Volpe has struggled on both sides of the ball this season, evidenced by his .212 batting average and American League-leading 13 errors. AP 'Not everybody is A-Rod, not everybody is [Derek] Jeter,' Casey said Monday on his podcast, 'The Mayor's Office.' 'Anthony Volpe is going to be just fine. Nobody works harder than he does. He's in the cages all the time, has a great routine, he knows what he's doing.' Though Volpe has struggled with consistency at the plate and getting on base, his power production remains a bright spot. He's swatted 13 home runs, just eight shy of the 21 he recorded as a rookie, and his 54 RBIs are approaching his career high of 60. Casey used Volpe's standout game against the Braves over the weekend to hit back at Rodriguez's notion that a batting average-focused game plan would make him a more useful player. Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters 'If you go watch the two home runs he hit [Saturday in Atlanta], he was really flat,' Casey said as he broke down Volpe's mechanics. 'Sometimes he loads on his legs, and when he loads, he loads down. When you load down, you have nothing to do but come up. What are these guys in the big leagues trying to do? They're trying to hit upper rail. So if I'm loading down, I'm coming up and out. As opposed to staying into that hip. 'I think Volpe's going to be fine,' Casey added. 'I think Volpe's going to get hot, to tell you the truth. And he's on pace for 18 bombs, 85 RBIs. He has over 50 RBIs. Isn't the job in baseball to score more runs than the other team? Isn't that what it is? You want guys that drive in runs.' While his power numbers are in line with his first two seasons, Volpe's underlying metrics reflect a flawed hitter and who has failed to make an offensive leap. 3 Alex Rodriguez slammed Volpe's skillset as 'not winning baseball' before suggesting the shortstop rework his approach to focus on batting average versus home runs. Getty Images for Fanatics He's batting an abysmal .176 against breaking pitches this season, according to Baseball Savant, a steep drop from his still uninspiring .209 in 2024. After winning a Gold Glove as a rookie shortstop in 2023, Volpe's defense has regressed, including crucial miscues, with the most recent coming in Wednesday's crushing loss to the rival Blue Jays. Despite all of that, Casey is convinced that 2025 is just another blip in a series of blips — and that he's set to play a key role for the Yankees. 'I've got a shortstop that has (54) RBIs, and we still have a second half to play? And he's on pace for 18 to 20 homers, and he's going to play Gold Glove shortstop?' Casey said. 'I'm going to take that.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store