Jake Fraley tied a season high with three hits, including the tiebreaking RBI single and a run-scoring double as the visiting Cincinnati Reds continued their recent surge by holding on for a 5-2 victory over the host New York Mets on Saturday.
After a 30-minute pregame ceremony honoring David Wright and the former New York captain’s number, Fraley helped the Reds win for the sixth time in seven games following a four-game losing streak. Fraley also helped the Reds move to a season-high five games over .500 with his third three-hit game this season.
Fraley scored Cincinnati’s first run in the third inning when he opened the inning with a double off New York’s Clay Holmes (8-5) and scored on a throwing error by catcher Luis Torrens, who attempted to pick Noelvi Marte off first base during an at-bat to T.J. Friedl.
The Reds had runners on first and third in the fourth when Fraley snapped a 2-2 tie by looping a single to center field.
After Cincinnati took a 4-2 lead on a groundout by Tyler Stephenson, Fraley lined a double to right field and Stephenson scored.
Cincinnati’s Nick Martinez allowed two runs on six hits in five innings. Martinez struck out five, walked two and won for the fourth time in five starts.
Five relievers followed Martinez and Scott Barlow highlighted Cincinnati’s strong relief showing by striking out Brandon Nimmo and retiring Francisco Lindor to leave the bases loaded in the seventh.
Tony Santillan struck out Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos in a perfect seventh and Graham Ashcraft got a double play on Ronny Mauricio in the eighth.
Emilio Pagan nearly gave up a tying three-run homer to Soto before getting the slugger on a check swing strikeout. He finished off his 21st save by retiring Alonso on a fly ball to Fraley in right field.
Mark Vientos hit an RBI single in the first and Brett Baty homered in the second but the Mets dropped their third straight and lost for the sixth time in nine games.
Lindor struck out in his first three at-bats, went 0-for-5 and is hitless in his past 16 at-bats.
Holmes allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two.
–Field Level Media
