Terry Francona's Reds beat the Guardians 7-4 on June 10, 2025, clinching the Ohio Cup. Despite a Bo Naylor homer, Cleveland falls in Tito's tough return.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a strange and ultimately painful sight at Progressive Field on Tuesday. Terry Francona, the beloved former skipper, was back in the building, but this time he was in the visitor's dugout, pulling all the right strings for the Cincinnati Reds. While the pre-game nostalgia was nice, the on-field result was a bitter pill to swallow as the Guardians fell 7-4, officially surrendering the Ohio Cup to their in-state rivals for the first time in over a decade.
I kept looking at my card and I'm thinking, Oh God, José is going to come up.
From the moment the game started, it felt like the magic was all on Cincinnati's side. Even Francona's antics, like kissing Christian Encarnacion-Strand's bat for good luck, seemed to work. The Reds' offense was relentless, with Jake Fraley and TJ Friedl both going deep. Fraley's fourth-inning homer tied the game at 3-3, erasing an early Cleveland lead. While Bo Naylor managed a solo shot for the Guards, it wasn't nearly enough to keep pace. Reds starter Wade Miley, in just his second start of the year, held Cleveland to three runs over five innings to earn his first win since 2023, a testament to how the night went for both clubs.
With the victory, the Reds didn't just win a game; they won the season series and the Ohio Cup for the first time since 2014. Having now won all four matchups this season, Cincinnati has thoroughly dominated the Guardians. No one has embodied that dominance more than Will Benson, who has treated Guardians pitching like his personal batting practice. In four games against Cleveland this year, Benson is hitting a staggering .533 (8-for-15) with four homers and an eye-watering 1.896 OPS. The loss stings not just for the standings, but for state bragging rights.
This recent skid is starting to have serious consequences. The loss, Cleveland's third straight and fourth in their last five games, has dropped them to third place in the AL Central with a 34-31 record. They now sit 2.5 games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers. What once looked like a promising position is quickly becoming precarious. With the division tightening up, the Guardians can't afford to let a slump spiral, especially against a non-division opponent.
The Guardians have a chance to stop the bleeding tomorrow. Right-hander Slade Cecconi (1-2, 4.87 ERA) gets the ball, but he faces a tough test in Reds lefty Andrew Abbott, who has been stellar this season. Cleveland needs to find a spark, whether it's from a veteran leader or a newcomer like the recently recalled Johnathan Rodríguez. This isn't just about salvaging a game against the Reds anymore; it's about halting a dangerous slide and proving they're still a contender in the AL Central.
