Will Benson hit a three-run homer in a five-run second inning, rookie Rece Hinds crushed a 458-foot shot and the Cincinnati Reds cruised to a 12-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
The 23-year-old Hinds hit a long homer for the second time in as many nights. He had a 421-foot shot in his major league debut on Monday, before teeing off on Colorado reliever Justin Lawrence as part of a four-run Cincinnati seventh.
He came up a single short of hitting for the cycle Tuesday, but became the first player in major league history to get five extra-base hits in his first two games.
“I didn’t know that,” Hinds said. “I know that I was doing some pretty cool stuff, though. I try not to look at the board.”
Tyler Stephenson and Spencer Steer also homered as the Reds downed the Rockies for the second night in a row, after being swept by the Detroit Tigers in a series last weekend.
“I've known about him for a long time in the minor leagues,” Stephenson said of Hinds, who was a second-round draft pick in 2019. “And the power is legit. I've never seen many balls go where he went tonight. And how hard he hits the ball, too. It's impressive.”
Colorado starter Cal Quantrill (6-7) struck out the side in the first, but things fell apart for him in the second, starting with Stephenson's 421-foot shot into the second deck in left field.
“Cal got to 3-0 on Stephenson. He hit a solo home run (and) it's 1-0,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Then the walk and the hit-batter, and it unraveled from there.”
The Rockies scored four with two outs in the fourth inning behind a two-out solo homer by Brenton Doyle and a two-run shot by Michael Toglia. Doyle homered again in the eighth, but the Reds were already comfortably in front.
Reds starter Nick Lodolo, in his first appearance since going on the injured list June 24 with a blister in his pitching hand, allowed four runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings. Nick Martinez (3-5), the first in a string of six Cincinnati relievers, was credited with the win.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Germán Márquez, who underwent Tommy John surgery last spring, is doing a rehab stint with Double-A Harford and could join the Rockies rotation after the All-Star break.
Reds: 2B Jonathan India was scratched with a left knee contusion.
WORTH NOTING
Reds RHP Hunter Greene was named to the National League All-Star team on Tuesday. ... Cincinnati added OF Austin Slater, acquired Monday in a trade with the San Francisco Giants, to the active roster, and RHP Yosver Zulueta and INF Livan Soto back to Triple-A Louisville.
UP NEXT
Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland (0-3, 6.62 ERA) is the scheduled starter against Reds right-hander Frankie Montas (4-6, 4.19) as the four-game series continues Wednesday night.
