Reds score 5 in second inning to earn 4th straight win

The Cincinnati Reds offense all came in the second inning in their 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

The Kansas City Royals would take an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Salvador Perez scored on an MJ Melendez sacrifice fly.

In the top of the second inning, the Reds offense would respond. Spencer Steer, Stuart Fairchild, and TJ Friedl each knocked in a run each on singles, while Kevin Newman got a run in on a double. Fairchild scored the fifth and final run on a Jordan Lyles wild pitch to make it a 5-1 lead in favor of Cincinnati.

Kansas City scored 1 run in the second off a Matt Duffy RBI double. In the third, the Royals would make it a 5-4 game, thanks to a two-run home run by Bobby Witt Jr.

Both offenses stalled the rest of the way.

Reds reliever Alexis Diaz entered the game in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side in order to earn his 16th save and give Cincinnati their fourth straight win.

Brandon Williamson secured his first win on the mound this season, allowing 7 hits and 3 earned runs in 5 innings of work.

Kansas City’s Jordan Lyles took the loss, dropping his record to 0-11 on the season. Lyles struck out 5 and allowed 5 earned runs on 5 hits in 6 innings on the mound.

The Reds will look to complete the series sweep of the Royals tonight. Coverage of tonight’s game on 103.9 WRBI begins at 7:40.