Longoria’s 4th homer in 4 games lifts Giants over Reds 6-4

By MITCH STACY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan Longoria was unhappy when plate umpire Shane Livensparger called him out on full-count slider in the fifth inning that Longoria thought missed the low, outside corner.

Then in the eighth, Longoria dropped his bat and started taking off his shin guard when Art Warren’s 3-1 slider was called a strike.

Longoria drove the next pitch for a three-run, opposite-field homer to key a six-run inning that lifted the San Francisco Giants over the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 on Sunday and avoided a three-game sweep.

“The first one I was a little bit upset, obviously, because I thought it was a ball” Longoria said. “Obviously, it works out the second time. But again, I feel like I’m seeing the ball well, and so it’s a little bit frustrating when it gets called the other way.”

Longoria’s home run, a drive to right, was his fourth in four games.

Tyler Mahle took a no-hit bid into the seventh and Cincinnati led 2-0 in the eighth when Tommy La Stella doubled off Jeff Hoffman with one out, Wilmer Flores walked with two outs and Joc Pederson slapped a run-scoring single to right.

Warren (2-2) relieved, and Longoria reached down for a full-count fastball.

“I think what was most impressive for me about the day for Longoria was how he stayed composed when there were several calls made on him that could have gone the other way,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “I personally find it admirable for people to be strong-minded through those situations, not let those things get the best of them.”

Brandon Crawford walked, Thairo Estrada singled, Joel Kuhnel relieved and Luis González doubled in two runs for a 6-2 lead.

Alex Cobb allowed the two runs and four hits in six innings with eight strikeouts. John Brebbia (3-0), the second of three relievers, pitched a one-hit seventh and helped drop NL-worst Cincinnati to 16-31.

Albert Almora Jr. hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth off Camilio Doval, Alomora’s first big league home run since Aug. 6, 2019, for the Chicago Cubs off Milwaukee’s Junior Guerra.

Doval retired pinch-hitter Alejo López on a game-ending flyout.

Mahle pitched 6 2/3 innings, his longest outing since last Aug. 29, and was immediately replaced by Hunter Strickland after Estrada’s two-out double in the seventh.

“I was just waiting for a pitch I could drive and just happy to get that first hit,” Estrada said. “We were waiting to get that first hit, and I think that woke us up.”

Mahle had thrown 104 pitches and wiggled out a jam after he walked two batters in the sixth.

“The no-hitter was a long shot from the pitch-count stand point,” Reds manager David Bell said. “ had to keep in mind that Tyler gets stronger as the game goes on. It was a tough call. After the hit, going with (Strickland),it was a tough call.”

Almora had a run-scoring single past shortstop Brandon Crawford in the second and Joey Votto had a two-out RBI double in the sixth that drove in Tyler Naquin, who had walked.

KAPLER MAY SUSPEND PROTEST

Kapler left the door open for suspending his national anthem protest on Monday to recognize Memorial Day. The Giants skipper has been avoiding the field during the national anthem to protest the political direction of the country following last week’s school shooting in Texas. When asked before Sunday’s game specifically what he would do on Memorial Day, when his Giants play in Philadelphia, Kapler wasn’t definitive, saying he may take the field for the anthem.

“I’m very comfortable taking it day by day,” he said. “I think I’ll just decide what makes the most sense in the moment.”

DEALING

Cincinnati traded OF/INF JT Riddle to the New York Mets for cash. The 30-year-old was 1 for 4 in two games for the Reds, on April 19 and 24, and hit .208 with three homers and five RBIs in 27 games at Triple-A Louisvillle of the International League.

TRAINERS ROOM

Reds: LHP Mike Minor (shoulder) has completed his rehab afer going 1-3 with a 6.11 ERA five minor league starts and is scheduled to start Friday against Washington in his season debut. … OF Jake Fraley had a setback with an injury to his toe during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville, Reds manager David Bell said. Fraley has been on the injured list since May 1.

UP NEXT

Giants: RHP Logan Webb (5-1, 3.54 ERA) against Phillies RHP Kyle Gibson (3-2, 3.94 ERA) on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia.

Reds: After an off day Monday, Cincinnati goes to Boston for a two-game set against the Red Sox, the Reds’ first visit to Fenway since 2014. RHP Luis Castillo (1-2, 4.35) is scheduled to start. The Boston starter has not been announced.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports