Wednesday, August 4, 2021 12:35 PM (ET)

Joey Votto helps Reds knock off Twins

Field Level Media
Aug 4, 2021

Joey Votto had a two-run double to highlight a four-run third inning and Luis Castillo allowed one run over six innings to win his third consecutive start as the Cincinnati Reds earned a split of their two-game series with the visiting Minnesota Twins with a 6-5 victory on Wednesday afternoon.

Tyler Stephenson homered and had two hits and Jonathan India went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI for the Reds, who won for the sixth time in their last eight games.

Castillo (6-10), who began the season with a 1-8 record, allowed six hits and a walk while striking out seven. He hasn't lost since dropping a 3-2 decision at San Diego on June 20. Michael Lorenzen pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings to earn his first save.

Jorge Polanco had two hits, including a home run, and scored twice, Luis Arraez went 3-for-3 with two walks and Ryan Jeffers also had two hits for the Twins. Charlie Barnes (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs and seven hits over four innings.

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Polanco hit his 18th home run of the season, his third consecutive game with a homer.

Cincinnati took a 4-1 lead in the third thanks to three consecutive two-out hits. Kyle Farmer tied it with an RBI single driving in Shogo Akiyama, who had walked and was sacrificed to second. Votto followed with a double into the gap in left-center to drive in Jesse Winker, who had walked, and Farmer. Stephenson then singled in Votto.

The Reds extended the lead to 5-1 in the fourth on India's two-out single to left, driving in Akiyama who had walked and was sacrificed to second. Stephenson then made it 6-1 in the seventh with his sixth homer of the season, a 420-foot drive to center off reliever Beau Burrows.

Minnesota cut it to 6-5 in the eighth with an RBI double by Miguel Sano, a two-run double by Trevor Larnach and an RBI single by Jeffers and had a chance to take the lead after Max Kepler doubled to put runners at second and third. But Lorenzen, who earlier struck out pinch-hitter Josh Donaldson, got out of the jam by striking out Brent Rooker.

--Field Level Media

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