Christian Encarnacion-Strand left the game in the seventh inning of the Reds’ game against the Texas Rangers on Monday. In the sixth, the slugger was hit in the right wrist with a pitch. He stayed in the game to run the bases but was replaced in the field the next inning.

Kumar Rocker’s first start of the season went awry in a game that “started bad and got gradually worse” for Texas.

Brady Singer made history on Monday night. The Reds right-hander is the first Reds pitcher to pitch 7+ scoreless innings in his Reds debut since 1977 when Tom Seaver accomplished that feat. The Reds went on to win the game 14-3.

It took four games but the Reds found the full throttle for their offense, with both their little engine -- Matt McLain \-\- and their big engine -- Elly De La Cruz \-\- combining forces to provide the power.

Along the way Monday against the Texas Rangers, De La Cruz delivered, in order, a single, first stolen base of the season ,a three-run homer, a two-run double and then the seventh-inning shot. The first two home runs of the season for De La Cruz gave him his fourth career multi-homer game (first since August).

The Cincinnati Reds have a streak going that explains just how disappointing the last few seasons have been for the franchise.

At Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, the Cincinnati Reds (1-2) begin a three-game series against the Texas Rangers (3-1), at 6:40 p.m. ET.As the favorite, the Rangers (-142 on the moneyline to

Cincinnati's Matt McLain hit his 2nd homer in as many days, and Nick Martinez was perfect for four-plus innings. But not perfect enough in a 6-3 loss.

Get Texas vs Cincinnati baseball betting preview, spread and over/under insights for their matchup on March 31.

Oh, it probably won't matter, but it's worth pondering that the most significant feat of this opening weekend was the Padres sweeping four games against Atlanta, marking six consecutive victories over them at Petco Park, dating to their wild-card steamrolling during last year's playoffs.