It was a huge Friday night for the Reds, at home against the Miami Marlins. And it was only 1 night in a truly epic week for rookie Rece Hinds. Amid multiple injuries to outfielders, the Reds called Rece up from Triple-A Louisville Monday. And boy, are they glad they did.
Cincy had taken an early 3-0 lead– Jonathan India led off the bottom of the first with a home run to center field, his first lead homer of this year and the 10th of his career, then batting 3rd, Jeimer Candelario parked one to right, his 15th dinger of the season. Will Benson hit a 2-out RBI double in the 2nd for the 3-zip. Great way to start, right? But it got better, when the 23-year-old Hinds came up in the bottom of the 3rd. The Reds had the bases loaded and 2 outs, and Hinds punched the first pitch he saw, a fastball, out to right center for a grand slam. Make that lead 7-nothing, and the game was largely over right then. Rece now has 7 extra-base hits in his first 5 Major League games, tied with only 4 other players in the last 123 years, since 1901. The final last night, Reds 7, Marlins 4. The second of their 3 games arrives on your radio this afternoon at 3:40, on the Sports Voice, 103.9, WRBI.
It doesn’t appear that Batesville native Bryan Hoeing’s going to be starting either of those 2 remaining games for the Marlins, despite a lot of those who know him or his family buying tickets for the games in Cincy. The 26-year-old started a few games in the last week or so due to injuries to Miami pitchers, but it’s still possible he could get into these games in his relief role.
The N-C-Double-A announced Friday Indianapolis will host the women’s college basketball national championship in 2028. Indy’s also already hosting the 2026 men’s Final Four, and the Division II and III men’s championship games. All 3 divisions will be decided on that single weekend in ’26.
Today and tomorrow, the engines of IndyCars will be roaring out across rural Iowa. The Iowa Speedway hosts the Homefront 250 today, another 250-miler tomorrow, some 85 thousand race fans expected to jam that track. Josef Newgarden’s won 4 of the last 5 events there, but points leaders Alex Palou, Will Power, and Pato O’Ward will be battling it out, as well.