Diamondbacks 8, Reds 3
Outfielder Tim Locastro went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base, leading his Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-3 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds Saturday night. Locastro also broke the record for most consecutive stolen bases to start a career, breaking the record held since 1981 by his very first professional baserunning coach — Hall of Famer Tim Raines.
Reds Take Early Lead, Diamondbacks Rally
The Reds scored first, plating two in the second off Riley Smith, who was making his first major league start. Shortstop Eugenio Suarez and third baseman Mike Moustakas led off with a walk and double, respectively. This brought up center fielder Nick Senzel, whose single brought in Suarez and sent Moustakas to third. After Senzel got picked off first by Diamondbacks catcher Stephen Vogt, second baseman Jonathan India drove Moustakas in with a single of his own.
Smith settled down from there, scattering five hits across his remaining four innings. His team needed runs, though. The first came in the fourth on a lead-off homer by third baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, a line drive down the right-field line. Five more came when the Diamondbacks batted around in the fifth. Locastro opened with his third single of the game. After right fielder Kole Calhoun lined to third, four straight Diamondbacks reached base safely. First baseman Christian Walker hit a single to advance Locastro to second. Peralta reached safely on a fielder’s choice when India’s throw to second was too late to retire Walker.
This loaded the bases for Cabrera, whose walk forced in a run and tied the game. Second baseman Eduardo Escobar singled in Walker, keeping the bases loaded for Vogt. What followed was a rarity — a single that brought in three runs. He only received two RBI, however, since Senzel muffed the ball on his initial attempt to field the hit. This muff gave Escobar enough time to score. RBI or not, the Diamondbacks held a 6-3 lead.
Breaking a Hall of Famer’s Record
Locastro made history in the bottom of the sixth after beating out an infield single to short. When he broke for second, Reds catcher Tucker Barnart — owner of one of the National League’s strongest throwing arms — tried to throw the ball before catching it. The ball tipped off his glove and rolled to the backstop, guaranteeing Locastro’s safe arrival at second base.
This stolen base made Locastro 28-for-28 to start his career, surpassing Raines for the most consecutive stolen bases to start a career since the National League officially began keeping track of Caught Stealing in 1951. A wild pitch moved him to third, and a sacrifice fly by Walker brought him home for the seventh run. In the seventh, a booming home run to the picnic area over the left-center-field corner by Escobar gave the Diamondbacks their eighth and final tally.
After Locastro broke the record, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York asked for his cleats. Locastro granted the request, something that the native of upstate New York found to be special. “That’s what you dream about as a kid — winning the World Series and getting into Cooperstown,” Locastro said with a smile. “Having my cleats there (is) unfathomable to me.”
Locastro also got to keep second base as a memento, and he had a perfect place picked out to store it. “That’s going right (into) my parents’ basement. Didn’t even think twice about it. That’s actually the basement that I was painting when I got called up, so (there) are a lot of memories in there.”
Looking Ahead for the Diamondbacks and Reds
Riley Smith (1-0) earned the win, giving his large contingent of family members in attendance an extra-special memory for the evening. Jeff Hoffman (1-1) took the loss. The Diamondbacks (3-6) and Reds (6-2) face off Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of the series. Luke Weaver will try to get the Diamondbacks their first series victory of the young season. He will face fellow righty Jose De Leon. First pitch is at 1:10 Arizona Time.
Main Photo:
Players mentioned:
Tim Locastro, Tim Raines, Riley Smith, Eugenio Suarez, Mike Moustakas, Nick Senzel, Stephen Vogt, Jonathan India, Asdrubal Cabrera, Kole Calhoun, Christian Walker, Eduardo Escobar, Jeff Hoffman, Luke Weaver, Jose De Leon
