Cincinnati Reds’ Win on Sunday Proves Why TJ Friedl is Key Piece
TJ Friedl had a much-needed big game for the Reds.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl is only slashing . 154/. 267/.
167 this season, but that's not how he performed on Sunday. The 30-year-old went 2-for-5 with three RBIs in a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Twins, helping his club complete a three-game sweep and reach a 14-8 record. The Reds entered the top of the ninth down 3-1, but Spencer Steer and Stephenson started the rally with singles before Hinds flied out and Myers walked.
Friedl then deposited a 96-mile-per-hour fastball to center for a three-run double, giving them a 4-3 lead. Austin Martin then tied the game with an RBI double for the Twins in the bottom of the inning, but Cincinnati scored three runs in the top of the 10th before right-handed pitcher Graham Ashcraft earned the save to close the game. Friedl had just two hits in his previous eight games entering Sunday, but his timely double against the Twins exemplified why he's an important piece in the Reds' lineup.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder has a . 742 OPS with 58 stolen bases in 481 career games, and they could be one of the NL's best teams if he gets back to that level of production. TJ Friedl Could Take Reds From Good to Great Reds outfielder TJ Friedl.