When the Cincinnati Reds have played games at Great American Ball Park this season, they've put up numbers comparable to the Big Red Machine.
After a 10-3 victory against Cleveland on Friday, the Reds have won their last six games at home. Dating back to last year, they've won 15 of their last 18 games at GABP.
The offensive numbers are incredible. The Reds have scored 67 runs in their seven home games this season (7-1 record) and 18 runs in their six road games (2-4 record). The key Friday was a seven-run third inning when their first seven batters reached base.
"When I’m sitting on the bench watching the next batter or watching someone later in the lineup, I feel confident," Joey Votto said. "I think we all do. I think we might be a talented lineup. I don’t know if I can say much more than that. If we’re going to string together offense, that’s just talented guys handing the bat off to the next guy. It’s fun being a part of a lineup like this."
Consider Friday's seven-run rally. Kyle Farmer reached on an error to begin the inning. Cleveland lefty Logan Allen, who didn’t allow a baserunner in the first two innings, hit Tyler Stephenson with a pitch and then gave up an RBI single to pitcher Jeff Hoffman.
Allen raised his arms in disbelief when Hoffman put the ball in play, a bloop single to center, shouting to himself, “No way!” It was a 91-mph fastball on Hoffman’s hands, well off the plate. Hoffman slapped hands with first-base coach Delino DeShields in celebration.
