CINCINNATI -- Especially for non-closers, the work from the bullpen is often not glamorous. But over two days that included a blowout loss and a rain delay, the Reds were extremely glad that their relievers stepped up in a big way.
In a game the Reds definitely needed to win on Thursday, they took a 9-1 victory over the Cardinals to earn a four-game series split at Great American Ball Park.
“This is a bunch of guys rallying together and doing our job and maybe even more than what would be expected of our job. That’s good," said lefty reliever Brent Suter, who did not pitch Thursday but delivered 3 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday.
Following a one-hour, 37-minute rain delay that ended starting pitcher Andrew Abbott's day after four innings, right-handed reliever Graham Ashcraft protected the lead as Cincinnati added on with more runs.
Ashcraft delivered nine straight outs -- including four strikeouts -- over his three perfect innings. Taylor Rogers handled all three batters in the eighth inning and Luis Mey made his big league debut with a perfect ninth that included one strikeout.
“It’s huge when we have multiple guys that can go out there and give us multiple innings and give us shutdown innings," Ashcraft said. "It saves the ‘pen. … It helps save [back-end relievers]. The more we can have games like that, it just helps us throughout the year for everybody staying healthy.”
During Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader -- a 9-1 loss -- Suter and Lyon Richardson combined for 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief after starter Chase Petty was roughed up early in his big league debut. Richardson was optioned to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday so the Reds could have another fresh arm.
Overall, Reds relievers combined to retire 35 straight batters across Game 2 Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, ensuring that Cincinnati left the finale against the Cardinals with the ninth-best bullpen ERA in the Majors (3.41).
“I actually just texted Lyon and I told Suter what they did last night gave us a chance today to not hurt somebody and to win the game," manager Terry Francona said.
A Jose Trevino two-run home run in the second inning gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead. It was a 2-1 game when the rain stopped play. About an hour into the delay, Ashcraft was told the game was his upon resumption.
“They said, ‘Abbott’s done. You’re going to be our guy when we get going.’ I’m not going to change anything," Ashcraft said. "I’m not going to do a whole starter routine because that’s not what I am anymore. I’m a bullpen guy. It was staying hot, staying loose and being ready for the game.”
Ashcraft, who started 60 games for the Reds from 2022-24 before being moved to a bullpen role near the end of Spring Training, has embraced being a reliever.
In 12 appearances, Ashcraft has a 0.57 ERA with seven walks and 17 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings.
“I feel like I’m right there where I need to be," he said. "Whatever the team needs from me, that’s all I can do.”
Like in his other outings, Ashcraft kept the Cardinals down with just two pitches -- a slider and a cutter. His cutter's top velocity was 100.5 mph. Of his 31 pitches, 26 were strikes.
“We kind of gambled a little bit going with him out of the chute, and perfect case was he was going to be able to go three," Francona said. "That’s exactly what he did. He filled it up with strikes with two different pitches, and quality pitches. That was really fun to watch.”
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Noelvi Marte and Santiago Espinal opened with back-to-back singles. Marte later scored on a fielder's choice and Espinal came home on Trevino's sacrifice fly for a 4-1 lead.
Spencer Steer added an insurance run in the sixth inning with a one-out solo homer to left field. Three more runs crossed in the seventh inning with one more in the eighth.
Although Tuesday's rainout gave the Reds a day off, they are in a stretch of 12 straight days without a break until May 12.
“Tito was talking yesterday that every game is connected," Suter said. "We were able to cover a lot of innings yesterday pretty efficiently so that we were able to have a better chance to win today with our horses back there.”