NEW YORK – The Tito Speedo will not die.
If you thought the Cincinnati Reds were the cockroaches they claimed to be down the stretch to sneak into the playoffs last season, check out the skimpy piece of underwear that has little printed faces of manager Terry Francona all over it.
“It’s just been passing around (the clubhouse),” catcher Tyler Stephenson said. “And it was in my locker one day.”
It was still there when the Reds got to the clubhouse before the opener of this week’s three-game series against the Mets in New York, just before Stephenson pulled it on for the fifth consecutive game − and then used it like Superman’s cape in the fourth inning of a blowout win against the big-bucks, bigger-bust Mets.
Stephenson’s two-run homer off Nolan McLean, the best starter left standing for the Mets staff, capped a four-run fourth for the Reds that handed McLean a 7-2 loss in the worst start of his 19-start career.
How powerful is the Speedo that Stephenson originally gifted Francona during spring training? McLean gave up more earned runs (seven) and lasted fewer innings (3 1/3) than he has in any start. JJ Bleday also homered off him, in the third; Eugenio Suárez singled and walked against him (and later doubled); Nathaniel Lowe walked and doubled; Spencer Steer singled home two runs.
“If it ain’t broke…,” Francona said.
The Reds are 6-3 since Mike Napoli first pulled the Speedo from Francona’s office to try to change the lineup’s luck, wearing it for the final game of a series against the Washington Nationals, and then watching the Reds score 15 runs.
They’re 4-1 since Stephenson got his turn – with back-to-back seven-run outbursts heading Into the second game of the Mets series, along with a nine-run game against the Phillies last week.
Whether the luck has anything to do with the pitching side of things, Nick Lodolo turned in the best of four starts since returning from a finger blister that had him on the injured list to start the season.
He gave up one run on a solo homer in the sixth, and struck out seven without a walk in his six innings of work (first quality start of the season).
Eventually, “I’ll pass it on,” Stephenson said of the magic drawers.
Just not quite yet.
“We’ll see how long it goes,” said Stephenson, who figures he won’t be passing it along to the next guy too quickly.
And for those wondering, no, this isn’t one of those can’t-ever-wash-the-lucky-clothes things.
“It’s on the (wash pile) every day,” Stephenson said.
Said Francona: “I don’t think it’s lucky. I just think they like it.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tito Speedo comes up big for Reds in Big Apple to beat Mets
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
