Jack Leiter shuts down Reds in Rangers' second straight 1-0 win

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jack Leiter shut the Cincinnati Reds down for the second game in a row on Wednesday and the Texas Rangers won 1-0 to take the three-game series.

The Rangers were outscored 14-5 in the three games but still won the series.

Leiter (2-0) retired the first 11 Reds batters until Elly De La Cruz doubled. He left after the fifth inning with a blister on his pitching hand but still tied his career-high with six strikeouts.

Josh Smith’s two-out double in the fourth inning scored Joc Pederson with the first run of the game off Hunter Greene (0-1), who allowed one run in seven innings on two hits. Smith started the season without a hit in his first eight at bats but had two in the final two games of the series.

Greene struck out Jake Burger for the 500th strikeout of his career.

De La Cruz made a highlight-worthy catch of a foul ball down the left field line in the eighth inning. He was positioned for a left-handed hitter.

Jacob Webb, Robert Garcia, Chris Martin and Luke Jackson, who earned his third save, backed up Leiter with four scoreless innings.

The Reds had the tying run on in the ninth but for the second straight game, De La Cruz grounded out to end the game.

Key moment

Pederson’s slow roller single to third eluded Jeimer Candelario to set up the winning run.

Key stat

The Reds scored 14 runs in the first six innings of the series. They were shutout in the next 20.

Up next

The Rangers are off Thursday. Tyler Mahle (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will open a three-game series against Tampa Bay's Zack Littell (0-1, 1.50 ERA).

For the Reds, Nick Lodolo (1-0, 3.00 ERA) is scheduled to face Nestor Cortes (0-1, 36.00 ERA) in Milwaukee on Thursday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com