Brady Singer Outduels Robbie Ray, Reds Win Series Opener Behind Two Big Home Runs

Reds take care of the Giants thanks to a couple of solo shots and Brady Singer's first great performance of the season.

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It looked like it was going to be another rough start for Brady Singer as leadoff hitter, Willy Adames, started things off with a base hit. Singer was able to get out of it and was able to toss six innings of near shutout baseball.

The only blip on his start tonight was the Willy Adames solo blast in the fifth inning. That is Adames's 20th home run against the Reds in his career.

Per usual, the Reds' offense wasn't able to muster up much. Through six innings, they only managed two hits. The good news? Both of those hits were solo home runs. One by Spencer Steer, and the other by the red-hot rookie Sal Stewart.

It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to take the first game of this series against the Giants. Here are our takeaways from the Reds' 2-1 win on Tuesday night.

Brady Singer Shines

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He was in desperate need of a get-right game, and he delivered and then some on Tuesday night. Singer had yet to throw a game this season into the sixth inning, and has also given up at least 2 earned runs in every game so far this season. That is no longer the case after tonight.

Only allowing one earned run in six innings of work was by far his best start of the season, and gives him so much needed momentum moving forward.

There have been concerns with his control to start this season, but he was able to dial it in and get quick outs against the Giants. There wasn't much in the way of strikeouts, but outs are outs anyway you can get them.

The bad news is Brady Singer did walk down to the tunnel gingerly, and to the training room without his cleat after the top of the sixth inning, per Jim Day on the Reds broadcast. The severity of the injury is not yet known, but it cannot be overstated how important he is to this rotation and to this ball club.

A team that has dealt with seemingly more injuries than anyone else in Major League Baseball over the past several seasons cannot lose the workhorse that is Brady Singer. With Hunter Greene down for a good chunk of the summer, and the injury concerns with Lodolo and Lowder, Brady Singer needs to be healthy if this club wants a chance to survive until the All-Star break.

Sal Stewart Stays Scorching Hot

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Where would this team be without him? Hitting over .300 with a team lead in home runs (tied with Elly De La Cruz at 5), OPS, and RBI... he is the team MVP, and it isn't close.

It seems like every time the Reds need any sort of offensive help, it has to be Sal Stewart or it's not going to come. Even though he only had one hit tonight, it was the difference in what could have been a devastating loss after dropping four of the previous five games. He took Ray deep on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.

Sal Stewart has now hit safely in seven of his last ten games, with three home runs and seven RBI during that stretch. For a team that is struggling with consistent offense for the better part of three seasons, having a lock right now in rookie Sal Stewart is a lot of fun.

The Curious Case of Ke'Bryan Hayes

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'bryan Hayes (3) plays a ground ball off the bat of Zach Neto (9) in the second inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, April 10, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There is, unfortunately, a negative to take away from this game: the ongoing issues with Hayes and his inability to hit a baseball.

Defense is very important. It is especially important when the offense is as questionable as the Cincinnati Reds. Pitching and defense have to be near perfect when the offense can't muster up hits and runs.

Unfortunately, the issue here is that Ke'Bryan's elite glove can't make up for his lack of offensive output. He hasn't had a hit in six games. He has only three hits all season long. It just can't continue like this.

You can't play 8 vs. 9 on a nightly basis. Not in professional baseball, and not when you aren't the Dodgers. Terry Francona needs to make a tough call, and if he won't, Nick Krall must.

There is a role for Hayes in Major League Baseball... just not on the Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds look to stay hot and win the series tomorrow at 6:40 pm ET where it will be former Red, Tyler Mahle, taking on Rhett Lowder.