CINCINNATI (Interstat) — Nathaniel Lowe homered for the fifth time in six games and Andrew Abbott pitched six strong innings as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park to take two of three in the series.

Cincinnati improved to 20-11, its best 31-game start since 2006, and reached 20 wins before May 1 for the first time in franchise history. Colorado fell to 14-18.

Abbott allowed five hits and two earned runs over six innings, striking out five and walking one. He earned his first win of the season after two losses. The left-hander had struggled in his previous two outings, allowing five earned runs in four innings April 24 against Detroit and three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings April 18 at Minnesota, but he settled in Thursday after a rocky first inning.

Michael Lorenzen took the loss for Colorado. He worked 5 1/3 innings, surrendering four hits and four earned runs with five strikeouts and three walks.

The Rockies jumped ahead in the first inning. Brenton Doyle walked with one out, and Tyler Freeman followed by launching a 1-1 pitch over the right-field wall for his first home run of the season. Freeman’s two-run shot gave Colorado a 2-0 lead. It was his first homer since Aug. 16, 2025, against Arizona.

Abbott retired the next seven batters after Freeman’s homer, striking out three during that stretch. The Reds’ offense answered in the second inning. Lowe led off with a solo home run to center field, his fifth of the year, cutting the Colorado lead to 2-1.

The score remained 2-1 through four innings as Abbott and Lorenzen traded scoreless frames. Colorado put runners on base in the fifth but could not capitalize. Kyle Karros and Ezequiel Tovar singled, and Jordan Beck followed with a single to load the bases with one out. Doyle grounded into a forceout at home, and Hunter Goodman struck out on a foul tip to end the threat.

Cincinnati seized the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Spencer Steer walked to lead off, and Will Benson struck out. TJ Friedl then hit a 2-2 pitch for a two-run homer to right-center field, scoring Steer and tying the game at 3-3. Friedl’s second home run of the season gave the Reds their first lead.

The Rockies tied the game in the sixth. Lowe doubled with one out, and after a strikeout, the Reds intentionally walked JJ Bleday. Steer then lined a single to left, scoring Lowe and tying the game at 4-4. Bleday advanced to third on the hit, but Will Benson flied out to end the inning.

Colorado threatened again in the seventh. Edouard Julien was hit by a pitch to lead off, and after two strikeouts, Jake McCarthy walked to put runners at first and second. Goodman struck out swinging to end the inning.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the eighth, when Cincinnati broke through against the Rockies’ bullpen. Antonio Senzatela had retired five of the six batters he faced before allowing a walk to Sal Stewart to start the eighth. Lowe lined out to left, but Tyler Stephenson doubled to center, sending Stewart to third. Dane Myers grounded out to second, scoring Stewart and giving the Reds a 5-4 lead. Stephenson advanced to third on the play. Steer then doubled to left, driving in Stephenson and extending the lead to 6-4. Steer finished with two hits and two RBIs.

Connor Phillips pitched a scoreless seventh inning for Cincinnati, striking out all three batters he faced. Tony Santillan worked a scoreless eighth, allowing one hit. Emilio Pagán entered in the ninth but struggled, allowing three hits and two runs, though he recorded the final three outs.

Colorado mounted a final rally in the ninth. Karros singled to lead off, and after Julien flied out, Troy Johnston singled to put runners at first and third. Mickey Moniak singled to right, scoring Karros and cutting the lead to 6-5. Johnston advanced to third. Jake McCarthy then hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Johnston and making it 6-4. Goodman flied out sharply to center to end the game.

Lorenzen allowed a season-high four earned runs and was charged with the loss, dropping to 2-3. Abbott improved to 1-2.

The Reds won the series after losing the opener 13-2 on Wednesday. Colorado had won the previous two series against the Mets and split with the Padres. Cincinnati had lost its previous series against Detroit, taking two of three before dropping the series opener to Colorado.

The Rockies begin a six-game homestand Friday against Atlanta. The Reds start a three-game road series Friday at Pittsburgh.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cincinnati 7, Colorado 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave Cincinnati a 69.10 percent probability to win. Cincinnati was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of 10 runs went under the over-under line of 9.5.