As baseball remains in hiatus due to the coronavirus, we continue simulating games for the 2020 MLB season. Here are the results for 4/13-4/16 for the NL.
The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are fast turning what was supposed to be a multi-team NL Central battle into a two-team race.
Now they’re even taking turns in front.
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The Reds, who ceded the lead to St. Louis this past weekend, surged back in front by winning two of three games from the visiting San Francisco Giants. At the same time, the Cardinals ran into a hot LA Dodger team and were swept.
The Cardinals and Dodgers have met seven times since April 6, and St. Louis has one victory to show for the experience.
In the NL East, Philadelphia split a four-game series in Milwaukee and held to a four and one-half game lead over the Atlanta Braves.
The Dodgers’ sweep of St. Louis helped them move into a tie for first place with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who took two of three from the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pittsburgh outfielder Bryan Reynolds enjoyed a huge series against the Diamondbacks and gained ground in the batting race against San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis, who sat out his team’s series with Colorado nursing an injury. Reynolds blasted six hits in a dozen at-bats, one of them a home run, and drove in five runs. That raised his average to .431.
Cody Bellinger’s punishment of the Cardinals included two home runs and four RBIs, giving him co-leadership in both categories. Bellinger and Arizona’s Kole Calhoun both have nine home runs; Bellinger and Ketel Marte both have 22 RBIs.
Max Scherzer struck out eight Seattle Mariners Tuesday and ran his league-leading total to 45.