Cincinnati Reds Proving Their Biggest Weakness Can Become a Strength

The Cincinnati Reds earned a 6-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. It was another productive offensive performance for the Reds.

Entering the season, the lineup was unquestionably Cincinnati's biggest question mark. There was not much depth, and many felt that it could be among the worst units in the game. The Reds' lineup has been inconsistent to begin the new campaign. While it was once believed to be their biggest weakness, however, the offense has looked like a strength in recent action.

The Reds have now scored at least five runs in four of their past six games. Five of those contests have been victories for Cincinnati.

The Reds had an especially big series over the weekend. Cincinnati swept the Minnesota Twins on the road. Each game was competitive, and the Reds earned a 2-1 low-scoring win on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, though, the Reds scored five runs and seven runs in their victories.

The momentum clearly carried into Monday's contest with their six-run outburst.

Reds' Lineup Leads the Way in Victory Over Rays

The Reds' pitching also deserves credit. It has been consistent for the most part this year, and the pitching found more success on Monday. Rhett Lowder turned in six innings of one-run baseball while striking out three. The bullpen followed Lowder with three shutout innings.

The offense also deserves credit, however.

Sal Stewart had another big game. He went 2-4 at the plate with a home run. Rece Hinds added a hit and two RBIs. Overall, Cincinnati finished the game with nine hits and the aforementioned six runs.

So, can the lineup continue to perform at a high level, or is this simply a hot streak?