This season has been a rollercoaster for the Cincinnati Reds. After being unable to get anything going in three games against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Reds mashed their way to a win over their NL Central rival St. Louis Cardinals.
For just the fourth time in his career, Spencer Steer was slotting in as the lead-off batter. He subbed in for the lead-off man once before as well. In those four appearances, Steer managed four hits on 11 at-bats with one home run and three RBIs.
On Monday, he would best both of those marks. Facing former Red Sonny Gray on the hill, Steer went 2-for-3 with two home runs, five RBIs, and even drew a walk.
It was Steer's first career multi-home run game.
The Reds sat down Jonathan India for a day off after his 1-for-25 dry spell dating back to August 6. Considering how India has been one of the more reliable Reds bats this year, it's good that they know they can lean on Steer to make up the slack.
2. Battle-Tested Abbott
Andrew Abbott ended up turning in a quality start for the Reds. After a one-two-three first inning, Abbott got into a little trouble. Between the second and third innings, Abbott surrendered four hits, two walks, one hit batsman, and a run.
As the third inning closed, it was starting to feel like one of those Abbott starts where he will have to battle for each and every out. However, after that, he locked in. Starting with the final out of the third, Abbott sat down 11 Cardinals batters in a row.
His night should have ended at the end of the seventh but replay inexplicably upheld a safe-at-second call resulting in an error.
On the day, Abbott impressed, tossing 6 2/3 innings while allowing five hits, two walks, a hit batsman, and only one earned run.
The best part? No home runs! It was the first time since July 21 that Abbott went without surrendering a long ball. It was just his ninth time in 24 starts.
3. Fool's Gold?
This game was the epitome of the 2024 Cincinnati Reds.
The team came off a disappointing series with the Brewers where they were lucky to even escape with one win and laid it on the Cardinals.
Steer launched a pair of home runs, good for five RBIs. Elly De La Cruz mashed the first pitch of his second at-bat for a home run and made it back-to-back with Steer. The All-Star also added a double. The top two batters in the lineup accounted for four of the team's four hits.
Steer also added a walk, one of the team's three on the night. Jake Fraley had one hit and one walk but made both count. He swiped a pair of bases on the night for his 15th and 16th on the year. Steer also stole second for his 19th.
Then, as Abbott left, Jakob Junis backed up his last strong outing with 2 1/3 innings of no hits and no walks while striking out three.
The Reds may just be catching a Cardinals team in a free fall but one team's free fall is another team's opportunity to make up ground.
It will be on them to capitalize. They're now two games behind the Cardinals in the chase for the wild card and have the chance to be just 3.5 games off the pace for the final wild card spot.
Can they do it? Or will they continue to get people's hopes up only to falter in the end?
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