Cleveland Indians vs Cincinnati Reds Box Score on Aug 15, 2018

Melky Cabrera smacked a two-run homer, and the Cleveland Indians took advantage of a strong bullpen effort to beat the host Cincinnati Reds 4-3 on Wednesday and sweep the three-game interleague series.

The Indians won their fifth straight game, while the Reds have lost four straight.

Reds reliever Cody Reed, summoned in the second inning, inherited a 3-2 lead and allowed only one hit until the sixth, but Cabrera followed a leadoff walk to Yonder Alonso with his third home run of the season.

In 3 2/3 innings, Reed (0-1) allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.

The Reds scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to give starter Robert Stephenson a 3-0 lead, but the Indians scored twice in the second.

Stephenson walked three in the inning, including Indians pitcher Shane Bieber on four pitches. One run scored on the only hit of the inning, a single by Greg Allen, and the other on a groundout by Francisco Lindor.

Stephenson needed 57 pitches (26 strikes) to get through 1 2/3 innings. He allowed two runs on two hits and four walks with two strikeouts.

The Reds got to Bieber for three runs in the first inning, thanks to a two-out, RBI single by Scooter Gennett and a two-run homer by Preston Tucker.

Bieber made it through only 4 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out five, and only 52 of his 90 pitches were strikes.

But Cleveland's bullpen took over, with five relievers combining to give up just three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Left-hander Tyler Olson struck out the side in the sixth inning, and Cody Allen fanned four in two innings.

The Reds tried to rally in the ninth against closer Brad Hand, but pinch hitter Curt Casali flied out to right field with the bases loaded to end the threat. Hand got his 28th save overall and fourth since he was acquired from the Padres in mid-July.

The win went to Dan Otero (2-1), who got the final out of the fifth inning before Cabrera gave the Indians the lead.

The Indians had only five hits, two of them singles by Greg Allen. The Reds had 10 hits, led by three doubles from Jose Peraza and a double and a single each by Tucker Barnhart and Billy Hamilton. Gennett went 2-for-4.

--Field Level Media