Nick Lodolo stars in return as the Reds beat the light-hitting White Sox 5-0

CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Lodolo struck out 10 in 5 2/3 solid innings in his first big league start in almost a year, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox 5-0 on Saturday.

Cincinnati scored five runs in the second against Garrett Crochet, and Lodolo took over from there. The 6-foot-6 left-hander allowed one hit — Robbie Grossman’s infield single leading off the sixth — and walked one. He also hit two batters.

Reds slugger Elly De La Cruz went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, but he walked in the ninth to reach safely for the 19th consecutive game dating to last season. He hit a three-run homer in an 11-1 victory over the White Sox in the series opener on Friday night.

Chicago finished with two hits. The White Sox have scored a major league-low 30 runs during their 2-12 start.

It was Lodolo’s first major league appearance since May 6, also against the White Sox. He made seven starts for the Reds in 2023 before he was sidelined by a stress reaction in his left tibia. He began this season on the 15-day injured list because of a left calf issue.

The 26-year-old Lodolo (1-0) got some defensive help when Stuart Fairchild robbed Gavin Sheets of extra bases with a diving catch in the gap in right-center in the fourth. Spencer Steer made a sliding grab to take a hit away from Sheets in the sixth.

Reds center fielder Bubba Thompson also made a great catch on Martín Maldonado's deep drive in the eighth.

Cincinnati got each of its four hits in the second. Luke Maile's bases-loaded single drove in Jeimer Candelario and Fairchild. After Thompson struck out for the second out, Jonathan India walked and Steer cleared the bases with a liner to left.

Crochet (1-2) struck out a career-high 10 in 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander also issued three walks after he had one in 18 innings over his first three starts of the season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: LHP Sam Moll (shoulder impingement) is expected to make a rehab appearance with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.

White Sox: OF Eloy Jiménez (left adductor strain) took live batting practice against RHP John Brebbia (calf strain). Jiménez also ran on the field.

UP NEXT

Graham Ashcraft (1-1, 5.40 ERA) starts on Sunday for Cincinnati, and fellow right-hander Michael Soroka (0-1, 6.14 ERA) pitches for Chicago in the series finale. Soroka is looking for his first win with the White Sox after he was acquired in a November trade with Atlanta.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Jay Cohen, The Associated Press