Postgame Takeaways: Jeimer Candelario's Home Run Fuels Reds 5-3 Win Over Pirates

The Reds start the homestand with a win.

Cincinnati Reds third base Jeimer Candelario (3) runs the bases after hitting a homer in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, April 11, 2025, at Great American Ball Park in Downtown Cincinnati. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Friday night at Great American Ball Park. Here are our postgame takeaways:

Jeimer Candelario's Home Run Fuels Offense

After three straight walks in the bottom of the first, Spencer Steer hit into a double play that gave the Reds a 1-0 lead. Jeimer Candelario stepped up to the plate and hit his first home run of the season to give Cincinnati a 3-0 cushion.

In the third inning, Elly De La Cruz took third on a wild pitch, and the throw sailed into the outfield, allowing Steer to come around and score to give the Reds a 5-0 lead.

The five runs would be all they would need. The Reds had just four hits on the night.

Great Pitching...Again.

Reds starting pitcher Brady Singer was cruising right along until the fifth inning. Tommy Pham hit an RBI double to cut the Reds lead to four before Adam Frazier hit a two-run home run to right field to make it 5-3 game.

Singer gave up three runs on just two hits. He walked three batters and struck out three.

Taylor Rogers, Graham Ashcraft, and Emilio Pagan followed Singer with three scoreless innings to secure the win for the Reds.

Fantastic Defense

The Reds had a couple of fantastic defensive plays on Friday night. In the fourth, Santiago Espinal made a diving stop to his right before throwing out Tsung-Che Cheng at first base.

In the sixth, Gavin Lux played a ball perfectly off the wall to throw out Endy Rodriguez trying to stretch a single into a double.

News and Notes

• TJ Friedl and Elly De La Cruz each stole a base.
• The Reds went 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
• The Reds are 6-6 when their starter goes at least five innings.
• The Reds are 4-2 when they do not commit an error.
• The Reds are 5-4 when they allow three or fewer runs.

Up Next

The Reds take on the Pirates in game two of the series on Saturday at 6:40 ET. Andrew Abbott will make his season debut on the mound for Cincinnati.

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