HOUSTON — The Cincinnati Reds got off to a flying start against the Houston Astros on Saturday night, with Elly De La Cruz’s three-run homer setting the tone in a 10-run first inning. The Reds capitalized on Lance McCullers’ struggles, ultimately securing a 13-9 victory.
Returning for only his second appearance since the 2022 World Series, McCullers (0-1) grappled with execution from the outset. He walked TJ Friedl to start the game and then hit Matt McLain with a pitch. Shortly after, Cruz blasted an opposite-field homer, propelling Cincinnati to a 3-0 lead.
McCullers’ troubles compounded with two additional walks following Cruz’s homer. Tyler Stephenson capitalized with an RBI single, and Will Benson’s RBI double extended the lead to 5-0, prompting McCullers’ exit. Logan VanWey entered in relief, but the Reds continued their offensive onslaught, sending 15 batters to the plate before Santiago Espinal’s strikeout brought the inning to a close.
The Reds added to their advantage with another two-run homer from McLain in the third inning, pushing the score to 12-1. Although the Astros rallied with six runs in the third—highlighted by Victor Caratini’s two-run homer—and managed to narrow the gap to 12-8 with Jeremy Peña’s RBI single in the fifth, the initial 10-run inning proved insurmountable for Houston, marking their fourth loss in six games.
On the mound for Cincinnati, Brady Singer allowed nine hits and seven runs over 2 1/3 innings. However, Graham Ashcraft (3-3), who gave up just one hit while striking out four over 1 2/3 innings, claimed the win.
Amidst the game’s events, Houston faced another setback as Jose Altuve departed in the third inning with tightness in his right hamstring.
The critical play of the game was De La Cruz’s home run, which was pivotal in establishing Cincinnati’s momentum right from the first inning. This game also marked the eighth time the Astros have allowed 10 or more runs in a single inning since 1969, with the last occurrence being against the Rangers on August 19, 2013.
Looking ahead, Houston will hope for a better outcome as Ronel Blanco (2-3, 4.98 ERA) is set to take the mound against Cincinnati RHP Chase Petty (0-1, 34.71 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.