Nick Lodolo teamed with two relievers on a four-hitter, Spencer Steer doubled and scored the game’s only run on an infield out and the Cincinnati Reds won a second straight pitchers’ duel against the host San Francisco Giants, 1-0, on Tuesday night.
Lodolo (2-1), who beat the Giants 3-2 in the second game of the season in Cincinnati, was even better in the rematch. He limited the hosts to three hits in six innings, walked one and struck out three.
The Giants twice got runners to third base against the left-hander, but Lodolo got Matt Chapman to fly to left field with Heliot Ramos on third to end the first inning and retired Ramos on a fly to right with Casey Schmitt at third to kill the threat in the fifth.
After Lodolo was pulled, having thrown 87 pitches, Graham Ashcraft allowed one hit over two innings before Emilio Pagan worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
The combined shutout was the fourth of Lodolo’s career.
One night after a 2-0 win in the series opener, the Reds scored the only run in the third after Steer led off with his double against Giants starter Landen Roupp (0-1).
Steer took third on Jake Fraley’s single to center. With the San Francisco defense set up to try to get a double play, Jose Trevino grounded into a forceout at second base and Steer scored.
Roupp kept the deficit at one run through six innings, during which he allowed seven hits without issuing a walk. He struck out four.
Hayden Birdsong allowed just one hit and one walk over the final three innings to keep the Giants within one.
Steer, Fraley and Gavin Lux had two hits apiece for the Reds, who won a second straight game for the first time this season. Both of Steer’s hits were doubles, while Lux added a third.
Sam Huff had two singles and Schmitt a double for the Giants, who were outhit 8-4 en route to a second consecutive defeat for the first time this season.
–Field Level Media
