CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Matt McLain drove in three runs and Cincinnati survived a brutal inning by its bullpen as the Reds snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a 7-6 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night in the first meeting between Ohio’s teams this year.

Cincinnati seemed on the way to an easy victory when McLain hit a two-run homer in the eighth to make it 6-1. But things got messy as Reds reliever Graham Ashcraft walked the bases loaded and Travis Bazzana hit an RBI single to pull Cleveland within 6-2. Brock Burke came on and got a strikeout, but forced in two runs with a pair of bases-loaded walks. The Guardians scored four times in the inning to cut the lead to 6-5.

Cincinnati added a run in the ninth when Dane Myers doubled, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a forceout by JJ Bleday. Cleveland got one run back in the bottom half on a groundout by Angel Martínez that scored Kyle Manzardo from third after Manzardo tripled, but Tejay Antone induced a game-ending groundout from Bazzana to secure his first save of the season.

Andrew Abbott earned the win, allowing one run on four hits over five innings with two strikeouts. The left-hander improved to 3-2 after turning in his third straight quality start. Abbott had beaten Houston 5-0 on May 10 and taken a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs on May 5 despite allowing no earned runs in five and two-thirds innings.

Tanner Bibee took the loss for Cleveland, falling to 0-6 after giving up three earned runs on seven hits in six and two-thirds innings. Bibee struck out two and walked two but could not hold the Reds in check early.

The game began with both starting pitchers working efficiently through the first inning. Cincinnati’s Will Benson, Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart all flied out in the top of the first, while Cleveland’s Steven Kwan popped out, José Ramírez grounded out and Chase DeLauter walked before Rhys Hoskins struck out swinging to end the bottom half.

Cincinnati broke through in the second inning. JJ Bleday led off with a double, and after a successful replay challenge on a close play at first base, Spencer Steer singled. Nathaniel Lowe followed with a single to load the bases. McLain walked to force in Bleday, and Tyler Stephenson hit a sacrifice fly to score Steer. The inning ended with two runs on three hits.

The Reds added a run in the fifth. Ke’Bryan Hayes singled, and Elly De La Cruz doubled to bring Hayes home. The inning stalled when Sal Stewart popped out, leaving De La Cruz stranded.

Cleveland got on the board in the sixth when Hoskins led off with a home run to left field, his fourth of the season. The Guardians loaded the bases with two outs on a single by Bazzana and a walk, but Patrick Bailey struck out swinging to end the threat.

Cincinnati appeared to put the game away in the eighth. Bleday doubled to lead off, and Steer singled to score Bleday. After Nathaniel Lowe was called out on strikes, McLain crushed a two-run homer to left-center field, his fifth of the year, extending the lead to 6-1.

But the bottom of the eighth turned chaotic. Ashcraft walked Hoskins, Kyle Manzardo and Martínez to load the bases. Bazzana singled to score Hoskins, making it 6-2. Austin Hedges struck out for the first out, but Brayan Rocchio walked to force in Manzardo. Burke relieved Ashcraft and walked Kwan to force in Martínez. Ramírez then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Bazzana, cutting the lead to 6-5. DeLauter flied out to end the inning.

Cincinnati regained a two-run cushion in the top of the ninth. Myers doubled, and De La Cruz grounded out to advance Myers to third. Tim Herrin intentionally walked Stewart to set up a forceout, but Bleday grounded into a forceout that allowed Myers to score. Steer flied out to end the inning.

Cleveland made one last push in the ninth. Hoskins popped out, but Manzardo tripled to right-center field. Martínez grounded out to first base, scoring Manzardo to make it 7-6. Bazzana then grounded out to second base to end the game.

Bleday finished with three hits and an RBI. Ramírez had three hits for Cleveland, including a double. Pierce Johnson struck out two in a scoreless seventh inning for Cincinnati. Tony Santillan and Burke each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

The announced attendance was 27,903 at Progressive Field, with a game time of 3 hours.

Cincinnati improved to 24-21 while Cleveland fell to 24-22. The Reds had lost seven straight road games dating to a 7-4 victory at Minnesota on April 19. The Guardians had won three straight entering the night.

The game was the first of a three-game series between the in-state rivals. The teams meet again Saturday and Sunday at Progressive Field before the Reds head to Philadelphia for a three-game set and the Guardians travel to Detroit for a four-game series.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland Guardians 5, Cincinnati Reds 2. Interstat’s ELO system projected Cleveland with a 57.40 percent probability to win. Cleveland was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 13 went under the over/under line of 7.5.