The veteran slugger launched his 350th career home run during the team's 4-0 shutout win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Eugenio Suárez soared to new heights during the Cincinnati Reds' Tuesday opener against the Atlanta Braves, launching his 350th career home run to help rally the team to a 4-0 shutout victory.
Following the matchup, the 35-year-old designated hitter shared just how much it meant for him to come through for the ball club he's spent a significant chunk of his playing career with.
"It's very special, I never thought this little kid from Venezuela would do what I've been doing in my career," Suárez said in a postgame interview. "God's been really good to me and this is one of the best gifts that I've ever had in my career and doing it for the Cincinnati Reds is awesome."
Elly De La Cruz hit the ground running during the third inning with a solo homer to right field off Atlanta starter JR Ritchie who made the Reds work for it, striking out eight batters and only giving up a single earned run across five innings.
Dane Myers went yard as well during the sixth to extend the lead with left-hander Brandon Williamson tossing six scoreless innings to hold off the juggernaut Braves.
De La Cruz struck again in the seventh with a one-run single that drove in Matt McLain and further spoiled Atlanta's night. Suárez dealt the final blow in the eighth, capitalizing on a hanging slider from Owen Murphy.
The Braves kept battling as Michael Harris II recorded a double and later advanced to third off a groundout from Mauricio Dubón in the ninth. Nonetheless, closer Emilio Pagán slammed the door shut, inducing a flyout from Austin Riley to end the game.
With the win, Suárez is now batting .210 while recording 25 home runs and a .734 OPS during his first season back on the team after spending stints with the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Besides Tuesday, Suárez recently delivered in Cincinnati's matchup with the division rival Milwaukee Brewers on Sept. 13. During the sixth inning, he single-handedly got the Reds out of a 2-0 deficit with a clutch three-run blast that set the tone for a 4-3 victory.
While his numbers this year aren't the flashiest, Suárez has been a key presence in the clubhouse that has helped shape some of the team's younger pieces like the 24-year-old De La Cruz who quickly became a cornerstone of the franchise.
Suárez's one-year, $15 million contract also provides a way out should the Reds decide to move on after this season, which appears to be unlikely given that the veteran slugger voiced his preference to remain a Red prior to the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
He should get his next opportunity to contribute tonight as the Reds will look to secure the series win with left-hander Andrew Abbott taking the mound versus Atlanta ace Chris Sale.
