Rookie Colt Keith homers twice, Reese Olson starts strong for Detroit as Tigers down Reds 5-4

Updated Jul. 5, 2024 11:17 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Rookie Colt Keith homered twice, Parker Meadows and Riley Greene also went deep and the Detroit Tigers held off the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Friday night.

Meadows led off the third with a 410-foot homer to right field. After Reds center fielder Stuart Fairchild's catch robbed Matt Vierling of an extra-base hit, Keith hit one out to almost the same spot as Meadows in the right-field seats.

Keith then had a two-run shot in the fifth, and Greene led off the seventh with his team-leading 17th homer, another deep shot to right field.

"It’s a tough combo to go through when they’re both swinging the bat well," Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “You know, it puts a lot of pressure on the pitcher from the get-go. And, obviously, you know, Riley has been doing this pretty much the entire year. Colt has been steadily getting better and better.”

The Tigers got an outstanding start from right-hander Reese Olson, who pitched no-hit ball through four innings. He left after 5 2/3, allowing just two runs and three hits and striking out eight.

Spencer Steer led off the Reds' fifth with a 425-foot homer into the upper deck in left field, but Olson struck out the next five batters he faced. He was relieved in the sixth after Jonathan India scored from second on shortstop Ryan Kreidler's wild throw to first on Jeimer Candelario’s ground ball.

“All in all, Reese did a good job,” Hinch said. “I thought he emptied his tank there at the end of the game, and I wasn’t going to have him face Steer again.”

The Reds came on in the ninth against reliever Jason Foley.

Ellie De La Cruz beat out a grounder to the right side for a hit to lead off the inning and took second with his major league-leading 43rd stolen base.

De La Cruz went to third on a balk and scored on a single by Steer, who also came home on Nick Martini's triple into the right-field corner.

Blake Dunn, running for Martini, was thrown out on a close play when he tried to score on a one-out grounder to third. Dunn said the plan was to run on contact.

“It was unfortunate it was hit to the third baseman. If the throw was an inch higher, he wouldn’t be able to get the glove down in time,” Dunn said.

“It was worth the risk," Reds manager David Bell said.

Noelvi Marte singled to put the tying and winning runs on base, but Foley induced a grounder to first by Santiago Espinal to end it.

Cincinnati starter Carson Spiers managed only 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. He gave up three of Detroit’s four homers.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: SS Javier Báez will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo in Columbus. He has been on the injured list since June 11 with lumbar spine inflammation.

Reds: Put C Luke Maile (herniated disc) on the 10-day injured list and called up C Austin Wynns from Triple-A Louisville. Maile is expected to be back after the All-Star break. OF Jake Fraley went on the family emergency medical list and INF Edwin Rios was promoted from Louisville. INF/OF Levi Jordan was designated for assignment.

WORTH NOTING

The Tigers sent OF Akil Baddoo to Triple-A Toledo and recalled OF Parker Meadows.

UP NEXT

Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (5-4, 3.70 ERA) is the scheduled starter against a still to be determined Detroit pitcher as the interleague series continues on Saturday afternoon.

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