Michael Lorenzen Is Facing His Old Team and Colorado Just Beat Cincinnati 13-2

The Cincinnati Reds get a chance to salvage their series Thursday afternoon when they host the Colorado Rockies in the rubber match, but they're running into a pitcher who knows their lineup better than almost anyone. Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with Cincinnati from 2015 to 2021, is coming off his best start of the young season and Colorado just demolished the Reds 13-2 on Wednesday to even up the series after dropping game one 7-2.

The Rockies Are Rolling and Lorenzen Is Their Guy Right Now

Colorado bounced back hard from that series-opening loss. Hunter Goodman went absolutely nuclear with two home runs and three RBIs, while Brett Sullivan was a machine at the plate with two doubles among his three hits and three RBIs of his own. The Rockies led 8-0 before piling on five more runs in the ninth inning against position player Jose Trevino. Colorado has won four of its last five games, and manager Warren Schaeffer is convinced Mickey Moniak has been the engine keeping everyone loose and ready. Moniak is riding a 13-game hitting streak and doubled in a run on Wednesday. "Behind closed doors, he's part of what keeps everything around here loose and keeps everybody ready to play," Schaeffer said. "What he provides off the field is just as big as what he's providing on the field, but he's in a really good place offensively, too."

Lorenzen showed up big last Friday against the New York Mets, allowing just one run over seven innings in a 4-3 road win. "He picked up the boys," Schaeffer said. "The bullpen was light, for sure. That's how a teammate steps up for his team. It was big. It was huge for us." However, Lorenzen's overall numbers sit at 2-2 with a 5.97 ERA, and he's just 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA in three career starts against his former team. Cincinnati's Tyler Stephenson is 5-for-8 with a home run against him, so the Reds have some experience working him out.

Cincinnati Needs Abbott to Go Deep, But His Season Is Falling Apart

The Reds will counter with left-hander Andrew Abbott, who is in serious trouble. Abbott is 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA and allowed five runs over just four innings last Friday in a no-decision against Detroit in a game Cincinnati won 9-8. Over his last three starts, Abbott has given up 16 runs (15 earned) across 11 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old is at a loss. "I've never struggled for this long in my life," Abbott said. "It's foreign to me. We're trying different drills. We're focusing on one thing, then the next. I don't really know what to label as the reason. It could just be, I think it's as simple as pitches over the middle of the plate. It could be something else behind the scenes." On the plus side, Brenton Doyle is 4-for-8 with a home run against Abbott, who is 2-0 with a 3.91 ERA in four career starts versus Colorado. Cincinnati's Wednesday starter Brandon Williamson bailed after just three innings with left shoulder fatigue and will have an MRI Thursday. Williamson, who is still ramping up following Tommy John surgery in September 2024, thinks the 15-month layoff is catching up with him.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.