Andrew Abbott, Elly De La Cruz lead Reds past Astros

Andrew Abbott worked six shutout innings, Elly De La Cruz recorded a three-hit game, and the Cincinnati Reds claimed the rubber match of a three-game interleague series against the visiting Houston Astros with a 5-0 victory on Sunday.

Abbott (2-2) dazzled in his second career appearance against the Astros, his first since making his third career start against Houston on June 16, 2023. He tossed six shutout innings in a 2-1 win on that date and nearly repeated his pitching line while stifling the Astros in the series finale.

Abbott surrendered three hits, all singles, and one walk while producing five strikeouts. He did not allow a baserunner to reach scoring position, and retired nine consecutive batters between a one-out single by Cesar Salazar in the third inning and a one-out Jose Altuve single in the sixth.

Isaac Paredes singled with two outs in the top of the first but was stranded there when Reds first baseman Spencer Steer made a spectacular catch of a Christian Walker pop fly in foul territory. Cam Smith walked to open the second, but Tyler Stephenson erased Smith as he attempted to swipe second base. Abbott struck out Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez three times.

Astros reliever Kai-Wei Teng (1-3) made his second start as an opener this season. He breezed through three innings but came undone in the fourth when De La Cruz delivered a leadoff single before Sal Stewart followed with a double to right-center. JJ Bleday produced a two-run triple to right that snapped the scoreless tie. Stephenson then chased Teng with an RBI single.

The Reds tacked on solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Matt McLain worked a bases-loaded walk against Astros reliever Cody Bolton in the fifth that plated De La Cruz. Steer cranked his seventh homer with one out in the sixth, driving a 1-1 sinker from Bolton 355 feet to left field.

Reds relievers Tejay Antone, Sam Moll and Graham Ashcraft combined to work three perfect innings of relief, the second straight game the Cincinnati bullpen covered the final three frames without allowing a baserunner.

--Field Level Media