Elly De La Cruz celebrated his bobblehead night in dramatic fashion with his second career grand slam to power the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.
Cincinnati left-hander Andrew Abbott (1-0) was activated off the injured list before the game and made his first start of the season, responding with five strong innings while keeping the Pirates hitless over the first three frames. Emilio Pagan pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many nights and his fourth in as many chances this season for the Reds, who have won four of their last five.
Held out for the first two weeks as he strengthened his rotator cuff, Abbott allowed only two hits and one run, striking out five and walking two while throwing 81 pitches.
For the second straight night, Cincinnati pitching benefited from stellar defense. Noelvi Marte, making his first start of the season at third base, dove to his right to snare a line drive off the bat of Isiah Kiner-Falefa to end the third. Santiago Espinal ranged over from behind the bag at second to foul territory in right to catch a Tommy Pham pop fly to end the sixth.
The Reds were held hitless in the first two innings and Pittsburgh left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-1) was one out from a scoreless third when he hit TJ Friedl and Blake Dunn in a span of four pitches to load the bases. De La Cruz worked the count full before lofting a 90 mph fastball to the seats in left for a slam, his third homer of the season.
Heaney was charged with four runs on three hits, striking out six and walking two and hitting two as Pittsburgh lost for the third time in four games.
De La Cruz had a chance at a second slam in the seventh after Dunn was hit by a pitch but grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the rally.
Pittsburgh got on the board in the fifth when Alex Canario drove an Abbott fastball to the first row of seats in center for his first homer of the season. The Pirates added a run in the seventh against reliever Scott Barlow when Enmanuel Valdez doubled home Canario to make it 4-2.
