Farmer power, Aristides arm send Reds past Giants 3-2

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Right fielder Aristides Aquino threw out pinch-runner Joey Bart at the plate to end the game, and the Cincinnati Reds held off the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Saturday behind Kyle Farmer’s early three-run homer.

Cincinnati extended its winning streak to a season-high four despite playing down a man following the suspension of outfielder Tommy Pham.

The strong-armed Aquino saved this one, nailing Bart trying to score the tying run from second base on Wilmer Flores’ two-out single in the ninth inning.

“Being a former third base coach, you have to send him with two outs,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said. “That kind of hit, everything has to go right for the outfielder to field it cleanly and make not only a strong throw but an accurate throw. The catcher’s got to pick it. You have to go for it but we knew it was coming when he got a good hop.”

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson did a backward somersault before plate umpire Adam Hamari could make sure he had the ball.

“It’s a tough call, but we and I completely support the decision,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “You have to make the outfielder make that throw. It’s hard to get two hits in a row, and there’s a chance it (the throw) could be offline.”

The Giants had spent the previous eight innings choosing not to test the arms of Aquino and center fielder Nick Senzel, who kept Evan Longoria from scoring in the second.

Longoria decided against trying to score from second on Donovan Walton’s sharp single to Senzel, and then held on Curt Casali’s bases-loaded fly ball to Aquino in short right field. Mike Yastrzemski also held at second on Darin Ruf’s one-out fly to Aquino in the fifth.

“I wanted them to run on me,” Aquino said. “I had the opportunity and the confidence to make an out. It is always fun when you run hard to the ball and make an out. When I’m on the field, I always anticipate where the ball is going to be hit. If it is hit here, I do that.”

With Brandon Drury and Tyler Stephenson on base and two outs in the first, Farmer launched a shot into the left-center seats for his third home run in the last three games, extending his hitting streak to a Reds season-high eight games.

Farmer, who was 4 for 4 with two homers and five RBIs in Cincinnati’s 20-5 win over the Cubs on Thursday, has driven in eight runs while going 6 for 10 during the last three games since missing three with a sore back.

The at-bat was the first of his career in a regular-season game against Alex Wood, his former University of Georgia and Los Angeles Dodgers teammate and roommate. Woods described Farmer as his “best friend.” The two were traded together with Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to the Reds before the 2019 season.

“I told him, ‘You can’t be getting hot right before I face you,’” Wood said with a smile after the game.

“Honestly, it was kind of surreal facing one of your best friends,” Farmer said. “I was more nervous before the game than I’ve been before. I just wanted to have fun with it. It felt weird, but it was so cool.”

Vladimir Gutierrez picked up his first win of the season in his eighth start. Gutierrez (1-6), who entered with the most losses of any major league pitcher without a win, had runners in scoring position in four of his five innings but allowed only one to cross the plate. He gave up six hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Tony Santillan, Cincinnati’s fourth reliever, got pinch-hitter Thairo Estrada to ground out with two on to end the eighth. Santillan also pitched the ninth for his third save — and second straight that required four outs.

“Tony came in a tough spot to get the last four outs,” Bell said. “He deserved to get out of that. He was throwing the ball really well.”

Major League Baseball suspended Pham on Saturday for three games — retroactive to Friday — and fined him for slapping the Giants’ Joc Pederson during an altercation in the outfield before Friday’s game.

Pederson drove in the Giants’ first run with a double in the third. Evan Longoria made it a one-run game with a sixth-inning homer off reliever Luis Cessa.

Wood (3-4) settled down after the first, allowing only two more hits and four overall with one walk and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings against his former team.

The Giants left 11 runners on base.

CLOSE CALL

Senzel and Aquino collided near the right-center wall while chasing down Tommy La Stella’s fly ball in the seventh. Aquino made the catch, and both players stayed in the game.

ANTHEM UPDATE

One day after Kapler declared he would not be on the field for the national anthem for the foreseeable future in a protest over the nation’s political direction following this week’s school shooting in Texas, no uniformed Giant was on the field for Saturday’s rendition.

CLOSE CALL

Senzel and Aquino collided near the right-center wall while chasing down Tommy La Stella’s fly ball in the seventh. Aquino made the catch, and both players stayed in the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: Casali was activated from the seven-day concussion list and C Michael Papierski was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. Casali singled leading off the ninth and was lifted for Bart, a fellow catcher.

Reds: OF Max Shrock (left calf strain) was sent to Triple-A Louisville on a rehab assignment. Shrock has been out all season. … LHP Mike Minor threw 79 pitches over six innings for Triple-A Louisville at Omaha on Friday in his fourth rehab start.

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Cincinnati Reds’ Tyler Stephenson waits to tag out San Francisco Giants’ Joey Bart at home plate to end the baseball game in Cincinnati, Saturday, May 28, 2022. The Reds won 3-2. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/05/web1_128950335-0a69f9073cfc435d85569d240955894d.jpgCincinnati Reds’ Tyler Stephenson waits to tag out San Francisco Giants’ Joey Bart at home plate to end the baseball game in Cincinnati, Saturday, May 28, 2022. The Reds won 3-2. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

San Francisco Giants’ Joey Bart, left, looks at Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson after Bart was tagged out at home plate for the final out of a baseball game in Cincinnati, Saturday, May 28, 2022. The Reds won 3-2. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/05/web1_128950335-6669cbf0d7f34254ba12be83bc8e24ca.jpgSan Francisco Giants’ Joey Bart, left, looks at Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson after Bart was tagged out at home plate for the final out of a baseball game in Cincinnati, Saturday, May 28, 2022. The Reds won 3-2. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

Cincinnati Reds’ Kyle Farmer, left, high-fives Tyler Stephenson after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Cincinnati, Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2022/05/web1_128950335-2e758f67b377450a9773c2f4e2a901ac.jpgCincinnati Reds’ Kyle Farmer, left, high-fives Tyler Stephenson after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Cincinnati, Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

San Francisco Giants (24-21, third in the NL West) vs. Cincinnati Reds (16-30, fifth in the NL Central)

Cincinnati; Sunday, 11:35 a.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Giants: Alex Cobb (3-2, 6.25 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 39 strikeouts); Reds: Tyler Mahle (2-5, 6.32 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 50 strikeouts)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Giants -150, Reds +128; over/under is 9 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds will try to keep their four-game home win streak alive when they play the San Francisco Giants.

Cincinnati has a 9-11 record in home games and a 16-30 record overall. The Reds are 9-20 in games when they have given up at least one home run.

San Francisco has a 24-21 record overall and an 11-10 record on the road. The Giants have the third-ranked team on-base percentage in the NL at .330.

The matchup Sunday is the third time these teams square off this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Naquin ranks second on the Reds with a .258 batting average, and has 11 doubles, a triple, five home runs, nine walks and 22 RBI. Kyle Farmer is 10-for-21 with three home runs and nine RBI over the past 10 games.

Joc Pederson leads the Giants with 15 extra base hits (four doubles and 11 home runs). Evan Longoria is 7-for-28 with a double, three home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Reds: 6-4, .255 batting average, 3.89 ERA, outscored opponents by 11 runs

Giants: 3-7, .268 batting average, 6.65 ERA, outscored by 18 runs

INJURIES: Reds: Justin Wilson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Connor Overton: 60-Day IL (back), Donovan Solano: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Lucas Sims: 15-Day IL (lower back), Jonathan India: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jake Fraley: 10-Day IL (knee), Nick Lodolo: 10-Day IL (back), Daniel Duarte: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jose Garcia: 10-Day IL (hand), Mike Minor: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Max Schrock: 60-Day IL (calf), Justin Dunn: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tejay Antone: 60-Day IL (undisclosed)

Giants: Austin Slater: 10-Day IL (wrist), Brandon Belt: 10-Day IL (knee), LaMonte Wade Jr: 10-Day IL (left knee), Anthony DeSclafani: 60-Day IL (ankle), Steven Duggar: 60-Day IL (oblique), Matthew Boyd: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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