A Game to Remember: Reds Rewrite the Record Book

Sunday afternoon’s game was nothing short of historic. Cincinnati’s 24-run explosion was one of the most dominant single-game offensive performances in modern baseball history. Not only did the Reds tally the highest run total by any team this season, but they also logged 25 hits, eight walks, and an eye-popping .446 team batting average in the rout.

First Three Innings Set the Tone

The Reds wasted no time, scoring in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single by Jake Fraley. That was just a prelude. In the top of the third, the floodgates opened:

• Austin Wynns kicked off the third with a single.
• Jonathan India doubled.
• Noelvi Marte cleared the bases with a towering grand slam to left-center.
• Four more runs crossed the plate before the Orioles could record the final out.

When the dust settled, the Reds had plated seven runs in the inning and knocked Orioles starter Charlie Morton out of the game. Morton, a veteran with a strong career résumé, gave up seven earned runs on nine hits in just 2.1 innings. He took the loss, dropping to 0–5 on the season.

Hitting Clinic: Reds Bat Around Multiple Times

One of the rarest feats in baseball is batting around an order. The Reds did it twice in the game, and nearly a third time in the eighth.

Key stats from Cincinnati’s offensive explosion:

Player	Hits	Runs	RBIs	HRs
Austin Wynns	6	4	6	1
Noelvi Marte	5	3	7	1 (GS)
Jonathan India	3	4	2	0
Spencer Steer	2	3	1	0
Jake Fraley	2	2	3	1
Will Benson	2	3	2	0

Marte’s grand slam and Wynns’ six-hit game are the kind of feats that earn players weekly honors — and likely cemented their spots in MLB highlight reels for the month.

Reds’ Pitching Quietly Efficient Amid Onslaught

Lost in the offensive spectacle was the Reds’ pitching staff, which performed efficiently:

• Brent Suter, making a spot start, threw 3 innings of one-run ball (unearned), striking out four.
• Taylor Rogers, who earned the win, pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief.
• Fernando Cruz and Randall Wynne closed the door, each pitching two innings and keeping the Orioles to just one additional run — a solo homer from Adley Rutschman.

All in all, Reds pitchers held the Orioles to six hits and two walks, while striking out nine.

Orioles Collapse: Bullpen Meltdown and Positional Pitching

The Orioles used seven pitchers, including catcher James McCann, who was called upon in the ninth inning. That decision came after the bullpen had already been depleted and the game well out of hand. McCann gave up five runs in the inning, including a three-run blast to Austin Wynns that put an exclamation mark on the Reds’ win.

Baltimore’s defense also didn’t help. A pair of errors contributed to unearned runs, and outfield miscommunication allowed routine fly balls to drop in for hits.

Orioles Fans Head for the Exits

Camden Yards, one of the most beautiful parks in baseball, was half-empty by the sixth inning. Fans watched in disbelief as the score ballooned to double digits, with many booing the home side during particularly sloppy fielding sequences.

A few bright spots remained:

• Adley Rutschman‘s home run was his sixth of the season.
• Jordan Westburg made a pair of strong plays at third base early on before the game spiraled.
• Ryan Mountcastle extended his hit streak to seven games with a single in the second.

Reactions from the Clubhouses

Reds Manager David Bell:

“You dream of days like this where everything just clicks. I’m proud of the guys for keeping their focus and playing hard every inning. We didn’t let up.”

Austin Wynns:

“Man, six hits? That’s just crazy. I was seeing the ball well today, but more importantly, everyone in the lineup was contributing. It was just fun.”

Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde:

“We’ve got to flush this one. Credit to the Reds — they came out swinging. We just didn’t have it today, in any phase of the game.”

Historical Context: Where Does 24 Runs Stand?

The 24-run outburst ranks among the top 10 highest-scoring games in Cincinnati Reds history. It’s also the most runs the Orioles have allowed in a single game since 2007, when they gave up 30 to the Rangers.

It’s only the second time since 1900 that the Reds scored 24+ runs and had 25+ hits in a game. The last time was June 4, 1975, during the Big Red Machine era.

Analytics Breakdown

• Team wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus): 382 for the game, an astronomical figure.
• BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play): .493 — suggesting hard contact rather than just luck.
• Exit Velocity: The Reds had 13 batted balls over 100 mph.
• Launch Angle: Marte’s grand slam came off the bat at 109 mph with a 25° angle — textbook for a no-doubt home run.

What’s Next?

Cincinnati Reds

• Record: 11–11 (3rd in NL Central)
• Upcoming Series: Three-game set vs. Miami Marlins
• Pitching Matchups Expected:
  • Monday: Greene vs. Cabrera
  • Tuesday: Lodolo vs. Rogers
  • Wednesday: Ashcraft vs. Weathers

Baltimore Orioles

• Record: 9–12 (4th in AL East)
• Upcoming Series: Two-game short set vs. Washington Nationals
• Top Priority: Reset the bullpen and address starting rotation woes.

Baseball is a game of unpredictability. The day before this blowout, the Orioles had thumped the Reds 9–5 behind a power display of their own. But in Sunday’s game, Cincinnati looked like a juggernaut — every pitch felt hittable, every at-bat dangerous.

The 24–2 win won’t just count as one in the standings, but it could be a defining moment in the Reds’ season — a confidence-builder and chemistry booster for a team looking to make a postseason push.