Sal Stewart’s 3-run HR, 5 RBIs, help Reds beat Tigers 9-2

CINCINNATI (AP) — Sal Stewart hit a three-run home run and drove in five runs as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Detroit Tigers 9-2 on Saturday night.

Nathaniel Lowe, Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl also homered for Cincinnati which is nine games over .500 for the first time since Aug. 2, 2003. At 18-9, the Reds are off to their best start since going 18-8 in 2003.

Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle led off the game with a solo home run, his second of the season. He has reached base in 23 straight starts, the longest streak for a Tigers rookie since Austin Jackson reached in 25 straight from April 11 to May 9, 2010.

Reds right-hander Brady Singer (2-1) allowed eight hits and two solo home runs through 5 1/3 innings.

Stewart’s ninth home run of the season followed a pair of walks issued by Jack Flaherty to put Cincinnati ahead 3-1.

Four pitches later, Lowe, who hit the two-run, walk-off homer in the Reds’ 9-8 win on Friday, hit his second homer in as many at-bats to make the score 4-1.

De La Cruz increased the lead to 6-1 with a two-run blast, his ninth, in the second inning.

Stewart and De La Cruz are the second pair of Reds teammates since 1900 to each hit at least nine homers before May in the same season, joining Austin Kearns and Adam Dunn in 2003.

Flaherty (0-2) allowed six earned runs and three home runs, both season highs.

Spencer Torkelson’s solo homer in the fourth made the score 6-2. It was his fourth homer of the season.

Stewart’s bases-loaded single off Connor Seabold drove in two runs to extend the Reds’ lead to 8-2 in the sixth.

Friedl’s first homer of the season came in the eighth inning off Drew Anderson.

Up next

Reds RHP Rhett Lowder (3-1, 3.10 ERA) will face Tigers RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 3.68) in Sunday’s series finale.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb