Giants fail to sweep Reds, but earn tiebreaker with season-series win

Christian Encarnacion-Strand homered and drove in three runs in his first four-hit game in the majors, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Encarnacion-Strand, a Bay Area native who played at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill, finished a triple shy of the cycle. Elly De La Cruz and Luke Maile each had two hits, and Hunter Greene outdueled Logan Webb in his first career start against San Francisco.

Greene (3-6) struck out six in 5 1/3 innings in his first win since June 17. The right-hander, who missed much of this season with a right hip injury, allowed an unearned run and three hits.

FINAL: Reds 4, #SFGiants 1.

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 30, 2023

Fighting for an NL wild card, the Cincinnati Reds (69-66) stopped a three-game slide and improved to 10-17 in August while the Giants were looking for their first three-game series sweep since mid-June.

Webb (9-11) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. Casey Schmitt doubled twice and scored the Giants’ lone run.

Cincinnati broke a scoreless tie in the sixth on a double steal. With runners on first and third, Cruz swiped second and Spencer Steer sprinted home ahead of the return throw. Encarnacion-Strand followed with an RBI single.

The Giants answered with a run in the bottom half. With runners on first and third, Cincinnati reliever Ian Gibaut committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt to first, allowing Schmitt to score from third.

Encarnacion-Strand provided some insurance with a two-run homer in the eighth, his fifth of the year.

Alexis Díaz worked the ninth for his 35th save in 37 opportunities, tying San Francisco closer Camilo Doval for the NL lead.

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