 following a leadoff walk by Carlos Santana.Cleveland scored more than two runs in a game for the first time in seven games.''We're going to be all right,'' Reyes said. ''We're doing a very good job with the scouting reports. We're about to start getting it. We've had tough days the past couple of days, but we're going to be alright. We have a lot to give this year.'' The Indians played their third consecutive game without manager Terry Francona, who continues to undergo tests in Cleveland for a gastrointestinal condition. There is no timetable for his return. Sandy Alomar, normally the team's first base and catching coach, is filling in for Francona.The Indians scrounged just three hits but capitalized on six walks and an error.They pushed across an unearned run in the seventh against Pedro Strop after Reyes reached on shortstop Freddy Galvis's error to start the inning. Cesar Hernandez beat out an infield chopper to first baseman Joey Votto to drive in the first run. Reyes scored the tying run on Jose Ramirez's walk.''They kept moving the line,'' Alomar said. ''It's important to do that to put pressure on the defense and the pitching.'' ''Not a lot of hard-hit balls,'' Reds manager David Bell said. ''Obviously, the two-run homer was well-hit, but the walks hurt us and a couple of plays we typically make.'' Bieber (3-0) allowed a season-high five hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings. He walked two with eight strikeouts. James Karinchak struck out Nick Castellanos to finish the eighth, and Brad Hand pitched the ninth for his third save.Reds starter Tyler Mahle allowed one hit and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings. He also hit Francisco Lindor with a pitch before retiring the last 10 batters he faced.''It was kind of a grind early, and then stuff started coming together, and we started getting quick outs'' Mahle said. ''All the work we put in, it's starting to show.'' Bieber's season-opening streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings over two games lasted two batters into his 15th frame before Castellanos' drive glanced off the upper part of the black batter's eye in center field. The homer, Castellanos's fourth in the last three days, extended his season-opening hitting streak to 11 games.Eugenio Suarez, who set the single-season record for home runs by a Venezuela native with 49 last season, powered his first of 2020 to center field on a 1-2 pitch with one out in the fourth inning.KEEPING IT GOINGCastellanos extended his season-opening hitting streak to 11 games, Cincinnati's longest since Hall-of-Famer Barry Larkin hit in his first 12 games of the 1995 season. It's the longest season-opening streak by a batter to begin his Reds career since D'Angelo Jimenez opened with a 15-game streak in 2003.TRAINING ROOMIndians: OF Tyler Naquin continues to make progress in his recovery from a hairline fracture of his right big toe, but his return isn't ''likely in the next couple of days,'' team president Chris Antonelli said Tuesday.Reds: 2B Mike Moustakas left the game after five innings with a bruised left quad. ... CF Nick Senzel returned to the starting lineup after being scratched from Monday's original starting lineup with a sprained left ring finger. He was hurt sliding into second base on Sunday in Detroit.UP NEXTIndians: The Twins roughed up RHP Mike Clevinger (0-1) for six hits and four runs with five walks over four innings in a 4-1 loss on Friday.Reds: RHP Tejay Antone will make his first major league start on Wednesday with RHP Luis Castillo (0-1) being pushed back to Thursday, Bell announced after the game.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Indians' Bieber aims to maintain record form vs. RedsShane Bieber might be the right guy on the mound to help the visiting Cleveland Indians end their current slide. Assuming they can find a way to score some runs.Entering the week as the majors' strikeout leader, Bieber looks to continue his early dominance and go 3-0 while trying to help the visiting Indians avoid a fifth straight defeat Tuesday night in the second of four consecutive games against the Cincinnati Reds. After two games in Cincinnati, the clubs will play at Cleveland on Wednesday and Thursday.Bieber has certainly lived up to his role as Cleveland's ace in the unique 2020 campaign. After allowing four hits and striking out 14 with one walk over six innings in a 2-0 season-opening victory over Kansas City, the right-hander was even better Thursday at Minnesota. He gave up three hits, fanned 13 -- without a walk -- and tossed eight innings in another 2-0 victory.The 2019 All-Star Game MVP tied the major league record with 27 strikeouts over the first two outings of a season, matching the mark set by Karl Spooner for the 1954 Brooklyn Dodgers.Bieber, 25, posted double-digit strikeout totals six times over 33 starts in 2019."I've never been that much of a punchout pitcher," Bieber said. "I've made some adjustments over the past couple of years and started to see more swing-and-miss." Bieber has totaled 13 strikeouts while going 1-0 with a 3.65 ERA in two career starts against the Reds, whose hitters are averaging almost eight strikeouts per contest this year. One potential, but major, issue for Bieber, though, is that the Indians have hit .149 (27-for-181) while scoring six runs and striking out 60 times while losing five of their past six games.Francisco Lindor homered and had two of Cleveland's five hits Monday in a 3-2 loss to Cincinnati.Joey Votto's two-run, go-ahead homer in the sixth inning on Monday helped Cincinnati to its third straight win while snapping a six-game home skid against the Indians. Votto returned to the Reds' lineup after sitting out the club's doubleheader sweep at Detroit on Sunday after self-reporting COVID-19 symptoms. He wound up testing negative."It's a relief for the rest of the team -- not only Joey," manager David Bell said. "We continue to feel good about what we're doing to protect one another." Votto has homered three times this season but is 0-for-5 in his career against Bieber. Reds right fielder Nick Castellanos has homered three times in two days, and he is batting .382 with 12 RBIs in 2020.Cincinnati turns Tuesday to Tyler Mahle (0-0, 4.50 ERA), who has struggled against the Indians in two starts over the past two seasons. He's allowed 10 runs, eight earned, on 12 hits and five walks over 6 1/3 innings while losing both outings. The right-hander gave up two runs and six hits in four innings on July 28 in an 8-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs.It's uncertain if the Reds will be without outfielder Nick Senzel for a second consecutive contest. Senzel, 6-for-14 with four doubles and a home run over his past four games, is dealing with a finger issue.The Indians, meanwhile, will again be without manager Terry Francona, who is dealing with a gastrointestinal issue. First base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. guided the team for a second consecutive game Monday in place of Francona, whose condition does appear to be related to COVID-19.--Field Level Media
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