Chase Burns Records First MLB Win, Reds Shut Out Pirates

Tonight’s game in Cincinnati really felt like Chase Burns’s coming-out party. The Reds shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 with a disciplined performance.

Burns snagged his first major-league win, tossing five innings of one-hit ball. He walked three and struck out seven, including a huge punchout of Jared Triolo with two on and two outs in the fourth.

The Reds found all the offense they’d need in the fourth. They pulled ahead with a scrappy sequence and a clutch two-out hit.

Burns earns his first major-league win as Reds blank Pirates 2-0

This matchup was all about pitching and timely hitting. Chase Burns delivered five strong innings, allowing just one hit, three walks, and tallying seven strikeouts. That key strikeout of Triolo with runners on in the fourth was a real turning point.

Cincinnati’s offense finally broke through in the fourth. Burns got enough cushion to work with, and the Reds never really looked back after that.

Pitching duel and late-inning relief

The night honestly belonged to the Reds’ arms. Braxton Ashcraft took the loss for Pittsburgh, giving up two runs on four hits and four walks in his ninth career start.

Burns set the tone early. The bullpen kept the Pirates quiet after the fourth. Jose Franco retired five batters before exiting with two on, and Isaac Mattson handled a clean seventh.

Justin Lawrence breezed through the eighth, striking out the side. The Pirates just couldn’t find a spark.

Conner Phillips locked down his first career save, despite walking Marcell Ozuna and Ryan O’Hearn before retiring the next three batters. Elly De La Cruz singled to open the fourth but got thrown out trying to steal second—a rare miscue on a night that was otherwise all about sharp baserunning and tight defense.

Two-run burst in the fourth sets the tone

The Reds scraped together their only two runs in the fourth inning. It was a classic case of small ball and just enough timely hitting.

Sal Stewart drew a walk to kick things off, and Eugenio Suárez followed with a single to move Stewart to third. Stewart crossed the plate on a Spencer Steer sacrifice fly, putting Cincinnati in front.

Suárez scored on a Will Benson triple, giving Burns a little more breathing room. The offense scratched out what they needed, and the defense did the rest as Cincinnati grabbed the first win of the series.

Sal Stewart’s hot start and the Reds’ early-season storyline

Sal Stewart, the reigning NL Player of the Week, kept his early-season surge alive. He went 1-for-2 with two walks in another standout performance.

Through just four games, Stewart’s sitting at 8-for-12. That’s not just luck—it’s looking like Cincinnati’s top prospect might actually turn this hot start into real momentum.

Stewart’s patience at the plate and knack for situational hitting have really shaped the Reds’ approach so far. They managed to flip a quiet game into a win with a two-run frame.

Suárez’s RBI single and Benson’s clutch hit kept things moving. Those moments took what could’ve been a dull, scoreless night and turned it into a decisive victory for Cincinnati.

• Chase Burns: five innings, one hit, three walks, seven strikeouts; struck out Triolo with two on and two outs in the fourth
• Will Benson: RBI on a third-inning triple that extended the lead
• Eugenio Suárez: RBI single and later scored on Benson’s triple
• Spencer Steer: SAC fly that produced the first run of the game
• Conner Phillips: first career save after walking Ozuna and O’Hearn
• Elly De La Cruz: one hit earlier in the game but caught stealing in the fourth
• Sal Stewart: 1-for-2 with two walks; now 8-for-12 in Cincinnati’s first four games

 
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