Red-hot Cincinnati thumps Bucs again
CINCINNATI — The names might not ring out like Rose, Morgan, Bench and the Big Red Machine.
But Tyler Naquin, Nick Castellanos, Jonathan India and these Cincinnati Reds are breaking loose for runs in bunches.
Naquin hit another leadoff homer and the high-scoring Reds kept rolling, backing Luis Castillo to rout the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-4 Wednesday for their fifth straight win.
Coming off their first playoff appearance in seven years, the Reds have started a season 5-1 for the first time since 2016.
Their 56 runs are the most in Reds franchise history through the first six games of a season. The 1976 team with Morgan, Rose, Bench and Tony Perez scored 51 en route to a second straight World Series championship.
The Pirates absorbed the brunt of Cincinnati’s rampage this week, outscored 30-8 in the three-game series sweep.
“We’re definitely ready to get out of Cincinnati,” manager Derek Shelton said.
Naquin jumped on Chad Kuhl’s first pitch for his second career leadoff home run, and second in as many days.
Erik Gonzalez hit his first career grand slam in the Pirates ninth off Amir Garrett.
