Aristides Aquino's first grand slam powers Reds to a win over the Rockies

When the Cincinnati Reds called up prospect Spencer Steer on Thursday to be an every day player, it had a ripple effect on the lineup. Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer will spend more time as the designated hitter, which takes away a spot in the lineup for an outfielder.

Aristides Aquino will likely be the player who loses the most at-bats. With TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley establishing themselves as top-of-the-order hitters, Aquino needs to get on a run at the plate to prove he can still be a piece of the Reds’ future.

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On Sunday, after coming off the bench and replacing Jonathan India, Aquino hit his first career grand slam. As the Reds beat the Colorado Rockies, 10-0, in front of a crowd of 23,060 in the second game of a traditional doubleheader, Aquino put the game away.

"My first career grand slam," Aquino said. "Nothing feels better than that."

Aquino entered the game with a .180 batting average and a .506 OPS, which both rank close to the worst on the team. Reds general manager Nick Krall said Aquino was going to play every day after the trade deadline. Aquino started 23 out of 29 games after the All-Star break, but he hadn’t done enough to keep his spot in the starting lineup when Steer joined the MLB roster.

On Sunday, Aquino made an impact off the bench. He saw a sinker over the middle of the plate and hit a line drive to left field to give the Reds a 10-0 lead.

"I’ve been working so hard at the plate," Aquino said. "It can be hard, especially when you’re not doing good. I’m working really hard, too. I’m so close to getting it."

Aquino recently made a swing change, closing his stance and becoming more balanced. With the new approach, the Reds are hoping he makes more consistent contact. His grand slam showed that Aquino can still be a premier power hitter when he times his swing right.

Aquino still has upside because of his arm and his natural power, and those qualities have helped him get a long opportunity to develop in the Reds lineup. But his strikeouts remain a concern, and outfielder Albert Almora Jr. is wrapping up a rehab assignment.

It’s a crucial stretch for Aquino to show who he can be as a hitter.

"He's working hard," Reds manager David Bell said. "He's continuing to make adjustments. You just never know, you never know when it's one at-bat where it all clicks."

Before Aquino’s grand slam, the Reds pulled ahead in the game with a five-run fourth inning, which included RBI hits by Jake Fraley, Nick Senzel and Jose Barrero. Reds second baseman Alejo Lopez extended the inning by stealing third base. He advanced home on a ground ball to third base, forced an errant throw and gave Barrero the chance to score behind him.

Bell recently moved Fraley to the leadoff spot, and Fraley continued his stretch as one of the Reds’ hottest hitters. He crushed a first pitch sinker to center field for a double to get the run started.

"He can hit at the top (of the order), for sure," Bell said. "Right now he's in the middle of the order. He's got the ability to get on base, but also drive the ball."

Reds starting pitcher Chase Anderson pitched 2 ⅔ no-hit innings. Four days after the Reds needed him to pitch the 13th inning in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, Anderson got the chance to lower his 27.00 ERA.

The Reds signed Anderson to cover innings on a team that traded two starting pitchers and has five more on the injured list. He isn’t built up to be a starting pitcher, but Anderson didn’t allow a run in his third big league appearance of 2022.

"I feel like it’s OK, now I can go four or five innings," Anderson said. "Minimize those walks. Be a little more efficient. Fastball command wasn’t where I wanted today. If I can get that, it’s not smooth sailing, but it’s going to be easier to get deeper into a game."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Aristides Aquino's first grand slam powers Reds to beat the Rockies