Photo: Ron Valle
The Cincinnati Reds stand for the National Anthem before the home opener at Great American Ball Park on April 12, 2022.
Fans, it finally happened. The Cincinnati Reds actually won a series — the team's first of 2022.
Sure, the most recent homestand was against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but who cares at this point? The Reds are winners. Taking two out of three (plus one rainout) makes it so.
Even better? There was no retaliatory pooping in the promo truck at Great American Ball Park.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we should point out that the Reds are just 5-23 on the season, while the Pirates — the team that everyone loves to dunk on because it typically occupies Major League Baseball's basement and has very low payroll — are 11-16.
But for now, Reds fans are basking in the team's first series win of 2022 — a welcome change from the constant losses the Reds had been racking up. After a storm rained out the May 6 series opener against the Buccos at Great American Ball Park, the Reds split a doubleheader on May 7 (the afternoon game was a reschedule from April 4, a game MLB had originally cut due to its lockout against players at the start of the season).
On May 8, the Reds cemented their series victory with Colin Moran's grand slam off Pirates reliever Dillon Peters' 2-1 fastball in the sixth inning. He homered again in the eighth, bringing in another two runs for what would be the final score of 7-3. Moran joined the Reds in March after playing for the Pirates from 2018 to 2021 and has been playing first base while longtime guardian Joey Votto is on the COVID injury list.
"We know Colin well. We knew coming into the season he can hit. Great approach at the plate," Reds manager David Bell said after the game. "He definitely hurt us a lot on the other side. We’re happy to have him on our team."
The May 6 game against the Pirates has been rescheduled for July 7. Fans holding May 6 tickets can use them at the make-up game with no exchange necessary.
Before this weekend's two wins, the Reds had won games only on April 7 and April 10 in Atlanta against the Braves as well as on April 24 when hosting the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati had an 11-game stretch of losses between the Braves and Cardinals wins and broke out of a nine-game funk with the May 7 win.
Even with the series win against the Pirates, the Reds have been swept in six of their nine series. The Reds have MLB's worst current record and own the franchise's record for its worst start to a season.
The team continues to get backlash from fans who feel the Reds' owner and front office aren't doing enough to win, with one person even saying they wanted to "defecate in the bed of the Toyota Tundra" that's on display at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park.
Next, the Reds will battle the Milwaukee Brewers in a May 9-11 series at Great American Ball Park. Bengals kicker and overtime killer Evan McPherson will become the latest jungle cat to throw out the first pitch, taking the mound before the 6:40 p.m. game time. The Brewers, who are leading the National League Central with a 19-10 record, are visiting just a week after they'd slaughtered the Reds in Wisconsin.
McPherson will follow in the footsteps of quarterback Joe Burrow, who threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Reds' home opener on April 12. His battery mate? None other than the Orange and Black's head coach Zac Taylor. Yet another Bengal took the field that day, as wide receiver Ja'marr Chase presented MLB's National League Rookie of the Year award to Reds second baseman Jonathan India. And then on April 22, cornerback Eli Apple, safety Vonn Bell and defensive end Trey Hendrickson threw out first pitches.
The May 9 game also will feature a meet-and-greet with country star Trisha Yearwood, whose husband Garth Brooks will perform two shows at Paul Brown Stadium on May 13 and 14. Proceeds from Yearwood's $25 VIP sessions will go to Dottie’s Yard, Yearwood's nonprofit organization that provides resources to animal shelters around the country.
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