Friedl homers and Francona gets 2,000th win as the Reds beat the Rockies 4-2

CINCINNATI (AP) — TJ Friedl homered and Cincinnati manager Terry Francona got his 2,000th win when he directed the Reds to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.

Matt McLain and Austin Hays each had two hits as Cincinnati won the rubber game of the weekend series. Nick Martinez (7-9) pitched 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball.

The Reds are 50-47 at the All-Star break in their first season since Francona was hired in October. The 66-year-old Francona is 2,000-1,719 in 24 years as a big league skipper.

Mickey Moniak drove in two runs for Colorado, and Austin Gomber (0-3) allowed two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

The Rockies go into the break with a major league-worst 22-74 record. They have dropped seven of nine.

Friedl hit his ninth home run on Gomber’s fourth pitch of the game. It was the 70th first-inning run for Cincinnati — tops in the NL.

Friedl also walked and scored on Hays’ two-out single in the third, tying it at 2. He singled and scored on a two-out error on Colorado shortstop Ryan Ritter in the fifth.

The Reds added an insurance run in the seventh when Elly De La Cruz doubled and scored on Spencer Steer’s single.

Emilio Pagán pitched a perfect ninth to match his career high with 20 saves in 23 opportunities.

The Rockies got both of their runs on Moniak’s two-run single with two down in the third.

Tyler Freeman went 0 for 5 for Colorado, ending his on-base streak at 25 games.

Cincinnati went 5-1 against Colorado this season. It went 6-1 against the Rockies last year.

Key moment

Scott Barlow replaced Martinez with two on and one out in the sixth. He retired Brenton Doyle on a flyout to center before striking out Yanquiel Fernández.

Key stat

Cincinnati was 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and Colorado went 1 for 7 in those situations.

Up next

The Rockies host Minnesota on Friday night. The Reds visit the New York Mets on Friday night.

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