McCoy: One swing, stout defense and shutdown pitching lead Reds to 1-0 win and sweep of Astros

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

It happens when rookie pitcher, Rhett Lowder, making his second major-league start, throws nothing but zeroes at the Astros.

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

It happens when Ty France provides the game’s only run with a home run to provide a 1-0 Reds victory, their third straight three-game sweep of the Astros.

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

It happens when a team makes at least five Gold Glove defensive plays as the Reds did for Lowder.

How does that happen when the Reds score zero runs in Lowder’s first two games over 10 1/3 innings?

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

It happens when France makes a first-inning defensive dandy and with his game-winning home run he goes 9 for 11 in the ssries. That’s an .818 average, tying Cy Seymour’s record for a batting average in a series, set 123 years ago.

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

The Reds faced Houston starter Hunter Brown, who looked like Hunter Greene on the mound. In his previous three starts he gave up two runs and nine hits over 19 1/3 innings.

And he was just as good Thursday. He held the Reds to no runs and four hits over six innings.

His replacement for the seventh was Bryan Abreu. His second pitch, a 96 mph fastball to France, landed in the left field seats, 383 feet away from home plate.

France was acquired from Seattle at the trade deadline and while with the Mariners he faced the Astros often.

“I’m seeing the ball well,” said France in a gross understatement during a post-game interview with Bally Sports Ohio. “I have a bunch of games against these guys so I kinda know how they’re gonna attack me.”

Of facing Abreu, France said, “I know his fastball is explosive and he can run it up to 100. I was trying to get on top of the heater. I think on that one (the homer) he mixed in a two-seamer which I hadn’t seen before and I put a pretty good swing on it.”

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

The game began with two above-and-beyond defensive plays by the Reds. To start the game, Jose Altuve scorched one into the shortstop hole. Elly De La Cruz made a diving backhanded stop, scrambled to his feet and unleashed an 86 mph off-balance throw from 10 feet into the outfield grass. And France scooped it out of the soil.

The next batter, Yordan Alvarez lined one between first and scond. First baseman France leaped to his right and made a backhanded snag on which Reds broadcaster John Sadak called, “Air France.”

In the third inning, Jason Heyward rolled one slowly past the mound. Lowder got into the defensive proceedings by picking it up on the run and shoveling a backhanded toss to France.

And in the fifth, center fielder TJ Friedl sprinted in to make a sliding catch on a low line drive hit by Chas McCormick. In addition, De La Cruz made a similar roam into short left to interrupt a ball hit by Yanier Diaz and threw him out.

That’s baseball. Defensive baseball.

“We knew they come out swinging so we knew we had to be on our toes,” said France. “Give Elly a lot of credit. He’s done that all year and it has been fun to watch.”

Lowder was the recipient and beneficiary of all the defensive shenanigans. And he manufactured some get-out-trouble pitching during his 6 1/3 innings of no run and four hits, while walking four and striking out three.

How does that happen? That’s baseball.

Lowder was in danger in the second when two Astros reached, with one out, but the defense struck again. De La Cruz started a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.

Two Astros reached in the fourth with two outs, but Lowder coaxed an inning-ending ground ball from Ben Gamel.

Tony Santillan replaced Lowder in the seventh with two on and one out. Defense? Yes. An excellent double play started by second baseman Jonathan India. And closer Alexis Diaz closed the deal with a 1-2-3 ninth.

“They are an aggressive team and came out swinging early,” said Lowder. “I tried to use my stuff to get ground balls and get them out early.”

Of the defensive plays, especially on the first two Astros, Lowder laughed and said, “Those were huge. Getting those two guys out when they hit the ball hard and those plays were made, that felt good. Elly saved me a couple of times today.”

Lowder began the year at Class A Dayton, advanced to Class AA Chattanooga and made one start at Triple-A Louisville before, out of necessity because the Reds rotation is depleted, was promoted to the majors.

“I haven’t seen those kind of plays two or three times in the same game, it’s impressive,” he said.

So a team that scored nine runs in the first inning and 12 runs Wednesday in a sloppy 12-5 win, scored one in a practically perfectly played game and wins, 1-0.

How does that happen? That’s baseball.