CINCINNATI (AP) — The San Francisco Giants finished off a four-game sweep of Cincinnati Reds in emphatic fashion, hammering the Reds with season highs of 19 runs and 16 hits, then headed home with the best record in the major leagues.
San Francisco outscored Cincinnati 33-9 in the series that ended with a 19-4 rout Thursday and extended the Giants’ winning streak to five.
The NL West leaders improved to 28-16, lately getting solid outings from their starting pitchers and big hits.
“We’re staying humble and we’re staying hungry because we’ve got a long way to go,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “You’re not ever going to be disappointed with a 6-2 road trip to the East Coast. It’s very encouraging, but we know we have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Steven Duggar hit his first career grand slam in a nine-run third inning and Brandon Crawford drove in six runs.
Darin Ruf had four hits, including a two-run homer in third. Crawford hit a three-run homer in the fifth, becoming the Giants first primary shortstop with 11 homers in a season’s first 37 games.
Johnny Cueto (3-1) gave up one run and five hits in five innings against his former team, exiting after 89 pitches with a 14-1 lead.
Tyler Mahle (2-2) yielded seven runs, seven hits and two walks in two innings, raising his ERA from 2.93 to 4.20,
Mahle allowed the first six batters of the third inning to reach on two walks and four singles as the Giants scored three runs for a 4-0 lead. Michael Feliz relieved, and Duggar hit a full-count fastball on the seventh pitch of the at-bat 427 feet to center.
“Just looking for the knockout blow and we got it and just kept pouring it on,” Duggar said.
Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer for the Reds in the eighth off left-hander José Álvarez.
“Those are not fun to be a part of,” Reds manager David Bell said. “The good thing it’s just one game.”
TRAINERS ROOM
Giants: RHP Logan Webb was placed on the 10-day injured list after straining his right shoulder in Monday night’s game. Álvarez (ankle) was reinstated from the injured list.
Reds: INF Mike Moustakas, absent from the starting lineup for five games with a bruised heel, was put on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Wednesday. INF/OF Nick Senzel also was out again with a sore knee and other injuries, but manager David Bell said he could return to the lineup on Friday. The Reds recalled INF Max Schrock from Triple-A Louisville to replace Moustakas.
WHO’S ON FIRST?
The Reds have had five different starters at first base, and they’re still experimenting. Joey Votto went on the disabled list when he fractured his thumb May 5. Moustakas was moved from third to first, but now he’s out, too. Alex Blandino and Kyle Farmer also have played there. Backup catcher Tyler Stephenson got his first start at first base on Wednesday. Blandino was back there Thursday. Votto has started limited baseball activity, but there’s no word on when could return.
OUT OF POSITION
Blandino came on pitch the eighth inning after Bell had cycled through four other relievers. After Blandino put two runners on in the ninth, it was infielder Max Schrock’s turn. With his pitches topping out at about 65 mph, Schrock got the final two outs of the inning on fly balls. Both players had pitched before. According to Elias Sports, the last time two Reds position players were called on to pitch in a game was in an 11-2 loss to the Pirates in 1902.
UP NEXT
Giants: Returned home for a three-game weekend set with the Los Angeles Dodgers. LHP Alex Wood (5-0) starts against RHP Trevor Bauer (4-2) on Friday.
Reds: RHP Jeff Hoffman (2-3) starts Friday against Milwaukee and RHP Adrian Houser (3-4).