CINCINNATI (AP) — Tyler Mahle recovered from a rocky start to pitch well in a potential trade deadline audition, Joey Votto hit one of Cincinnati’s three homers and the Reds beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 Saturday night.
Jonathan India and Jake Fraley also connected for Cincinnati, which is selling pieces to contenders after dealing Luis Castillo to Seattle on Friday night. Mahle could be the next player out before Tuesday’s deadline.
“I’m pretty realistic,” Mahle said. “It’s something that’s going to happen probably to everyone at some point. All I’m focused on is my next start. There’s nothing I can do to get it to happen or to stop it from happening. I have no say. I’m just trying to pitch.”
Mahle’s outing got off to a rough start when he allowed three straight singles and balked in a run, giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
“The balk, my cleat clipped the mound and I slipped,” Mahle said. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Having a first like that really sucked because I felt really good.”
Those were the only runs Mahle (5-7) allowed. He struck out seven and did not walk batter. He retired his final 13 batters.
“It’s kind of typical of what we’ve seen from Tyler for a long time where he just gets stronger as the game goes on. I think that was an extreme example tonight,” Reds manager David Bell said. “That was a tough first inning for him. Even the balk. From that point on, he was as good as I’ve seen him.”
Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander threw out Jake Fraley trying to score on India’s fly ball to end the second inning. The Reds did their damage later off Dean Kremer.
Kremer (3-3), who allowed four homers in 47 innings coming in, gave up a two-run homer to India in the fourth, and a solo…
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