Dietrich slugs three HRs as torrid stretch continues

CINCINNATI — Derek Dietrich was describing his three-homer sport for the media when Scooter Gennett walked previous and put it in a barely completely different perspective.
“Anyone can hit three, Derek,” mentioned Gennett, who did him one higher in 2017.
No, Dietrich’s newest massive sport did not set any information. However it prolonged one of the sudden dwelling run tears by a Reds participant in recent times. Dietrich hit three homers — all two-run photographs — and the Pittsburgh Pirates suffered yet one more damage to their rotation Tuesday evening as Cincinnati pulled away to an 11-6 victory.
“That is greater than only a scorching streak,” supervisor David Bell mentioned.
Dietrich grounded out in his first at-bat and linked within the fourth off Jordan Lyles (5-2), who left after the inning with discomfort in his left hamstring. Dietrich then linked off Geoff Hartlieb within the fifth and once more within the seventh for his first three-homer sport.
After the third homer, the 13,824 followers at Nice American Ball Park demanded a curtain name. Nonetheless holding his batting helmet, Dietrich emerged from the dugout and raised each arms.
He did not get one other at-bat to attempt to match Gennett, who tied the main league document with 4 homers at Nice American Ball Park on June 6, 2017.
Signed to a minor league deal in February with an opportunity to compete for a spot off the bench, Dietrich has gotten enjoying time with Gennett sidelined since spring coaching with a groin damage. His 17 homers set a profession excessive, and 12 of his final 17 hits have been dwelling runs.
It solely took Dietrich 118 at bats to get to 17 homers, the seventh fewest at-bats by a participant with 17 homers since 1961, behind luminaries similar to Barry Bonds (116), Albert Pujols (112) and Mark McGwire (93).
“They let me be myself,” Dietrich mentioned. “They consider in me. They gave me a possibility. That is all I’ve ever wanted alongside the way in which.”
A lot of the injury has been in opposition to the Pirates, who’ve allowed eight of the homers.
“He is hitting our errors extraordinarily nicely,” supervisor Clint Hurdle mentioned. “The balls are usually not the place we wished them, and he is clobbered them.”
Lyles had an ungainly follow-through on a pitch within the fourth however accomplished the inning. The Pirates already are lacking starters Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams. They’ve had 22 gamers on the injured checklist this season, with starter Chris Archer additionally lacking time due to a sore thumb.
Now, there’s an opportunity Lyles must miss time as nicely.
“We have got the damage bug to date this 12 months,” Lyles mentioned. “All people is aware of it.”
With its seventh loss in 9 video games, Pittsburgh fell to 26-27, the primary time the Pirates have been under .500 since Might three.
Lucas Sims (1-Zero) was referred to as up pregame and struck out a career-high 9 in 7 1/three innings, the longest outing of his profession. He gave up Kevin Newman’s grand slam within the eighth, the rookie’s first main league homer.
The Related Press contributed to this report.