Nathaniel Lowe homers again, Reds beat Rockies 6-4

By: Jeff Wallner, The Associated Press Posted: 2:20 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026

CINCINNATI (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe homered for the fifth time in six games and Andrew Abbott pitched six strong innings as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Thursday to take two of three in the series.

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Cincinnati (20-11) is off to its best 31-game start since 2006. The Reds have won 20 games prior to May 1 for the first time in franchise history.

Tyler Freeman’s first home run of the season put the Rockies ahead 2-0 in the first inning. It was his first homer since Aug. 16, 2025, against the Diamondbacks.

Cincinnati Reds' Nathaniel Lowe (31) hits a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Cincinnati, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Jackson)

It was an important start for Abbott (1-2), who posted a 6.54 ERA in his first six starts. He allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks to earn his first victory of the season.

Lowe’s solo homer came off former Red Michael Lorenzen to make the score 2-1 in the second.

Lorenzen (2-3) allowed four earned runs on four hits including two home runs in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and fanned five.

Abbott was backed by three excellent defensive plays. In the second, Elly De La Cruz made a diving stop to his left to retire TJ Rumfield and Sal Stewart dove to snare Kyle Karros’ liner. In the fourth, TJ Friedl made a sliding catch in center to retire Freeman.

The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but failed to score. The Reds took a 3-2 lead on Friedl’s two-run homer, his second of the season.

In the sixth, JJ Bleday was intentionally walked following Lowe’s double. Spencer Steer followed with a single to drive home Lowe making the score 4-2. Steer went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.

Rockies’ Hunter Goodman had his eighth three-strikeout game.