Giants-Reds duel includes unfinished business – Reuters

July 18 – Mother Nature was the lone winner in the opener of a four-game series between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds on Monday, as severe thunderstorms and heavy rain forced play to be suspended with the score 2-2 in the eighth inning.

With Joc Pederson on third, Wilmer Flores on second, and one out, the umpires stopped the game as heavy rain arrived. Cincinnati handymen then removed the tarp, though a crew member was temporarily swept below the canopy after he fell, and it never came off.

Play will resume at 5:40 pm ET, 90 minutes before Tuesday’s regularly scheduled game.

When the scheduled game begins, San Francisco right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (4-8, 4.44 ERA) is expected to return from the 15-day disabled list to start against his former team. DeSclafani was placed on the disabled list in early July after admitting shoulder fatigue.

The 33-year-old is 1-1 with a 0.84 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against Cincinnati.

The Reds will counter with right-hander Luke Weaver (2-2, 7.00 ERA), making his 16th start this season. Beginning with their road start against the Boston Red Sox on May 31, the Reds have won their last eight starts, including Cincinnati’s latest win, 8-5 at Milwaukee on July 8. Cincinnati is 0-4 since then.

In that span of eight starts, Weaver is 1-0 despite an 8.66 ERA.

Weaver is 3-3 with a 3.13 ERA in nine previous games (seven starts) against San Francisco.

The Giants will look to extend their winning streak to six games by completing the suspended game, which is their fourth contest in a season-high 11-game four-city tour.

“I think it speaks to the resilience of the club,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of the winning streak. “I think that’s still the true character of this team. I think it speaks to a selfless, team-first mentality, which was really the key to our (107-win) season in 2021.

“Everybody wants the big time, but what we’re really trying to do is pass the baton to the next hitter in the lineup, give the ball to the next reliever to come into the game, and just trust that a 26-man puzzle is going to be solved. “. fit in very well and win a lot of baseball games.

Across the diamond Monday, Christian Encarnacion-Strand became the latest highly touted Cincinnati prospect to be called up this season. He went 0 for 2 with a fly out and a groundout in both of his at-bats before the weather delay.

With Triple-A Louisville, Encarnacion-Strand hit .331 and hit 20 home runs in 67 games, overcoming a stint on the disabled list early in the season.

The 23-year-old, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, joined a group that includes infielders Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain and left-handed starters Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson to debut this season. . He batted seventh as the designated hitter on Monday.

“I’ve just learned not to get caught up in ‘I need to move up, I need to move up,'” Encarnacion-Strand said of his time at Triple-A. “Just focus on your game. Keep your head down and work hard and when the time is right, the time will come.”

De La Cruz said of Encarnacion-Strand: “I’ve been waiting for that guy ever since they called me up here. He’s like a killer up there. Guys are afraid to jump on him when he’s up there. Every time I see him hit, I know he’s going to hit a home run.”

De La Cruz notched another Monday night opener in the series opener, hitting leadoff for the first time in his rookie season. He batted fourth in his previous 33 major league games, all starts.

Including Monday, the rookie is 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts since the All-Star break and is hitless in his last 16 total at-bats.

–Field level media

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