Eugenio Suárez Shares Meaning Behind Latest Reds Home Run

Eugenio Suárez gave the Reds a reason to feel good during a 5-3 loss to the Nationals on Friday night, even though Cincinnati could not finish its early comeback.

His solo home run in the second inning started a run of three Reds homers, and it moved him past Eric Davis on the club's career list.

Cincinnati fell behind by three runs in the first inning, but Suárez cut into the lead before Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz hit back-to-back home runs in the third.

Harry Ford answered with a two-run homer in the fourth, and the Reds did not score again.

The home run was Suárez's 204th with Cincinnati, and it moved him past Eric Davis and into sole possession of 10th on the team list.

Suárez now has 15 home runs and 41 RBIs this season, and while his .203 average is low, his power can still change a game quickly.

After the game, Suárez explained why the home run meant so much, saying, "It’s a big honor for me to put my name on that list. Eric Davis is a huge name on that list. I’m happy to be able to do that for this organization. I’m a lucky guy. I love to play for this organization and do my best on the field. It’s awesome."

The Reds have needed more from their lineup all year, even while building the team around its pitching.

Suárez remains one of the hitters who can erase a mistake with one swing, but Cincinnati never brought anyone home from base.

At the plate, all three Reds home runs came with nobody on base, and the team finished with seven hits while leaving five runners aboard.

De La Cruz is now hitting .277 with 20 homers and 21 steals, while McLain had two hits after beginning a late-July rehab assignment, but the lineup still lacked one timely hit.

Cincinnati had two of its best chances in the fifth and seventh innings, but Sal Stewart grounded into an inning-ending double play both times, while the bullpen kept the score at 5-3, as Luis Mey and Zach McCambley combined for four scoreless innings.

Cincinnati had recently made an outfield change involving Blake Dunn while TJ Friedl was recalled, another adjustment around the lineup.

The Reds are 56-59 and remain close enough to compete, but losses like this make the path harder, as Suárez, McLain and De La Cruz supplied the power, while the rest of the lineup could not turn traffic into runs.

Cincinnati continues the series in Washington on Saturday, and Suárez's place in team history is worth celebrating, but the lineup must also move runners and finish innings if the Reds want to turn a late push into more wins.