\n\n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType “:”rich”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”When it came to feeling good at the plate, Candelario felt he was only getting there — even after a night like Wednesday. He wants to keep it going.\n\n\”When a month or two weeks go by like this, that’s what I’m looking for,” Candelario said. \”As a switch hitter, it takes a lot of reps, a lot of time, a lot of dedication. I never take anything for granted.””,”type”:”text”}),,”relativeSiteUrl”:” / news/jeimer-candelario-hits-two-home-runs-as-reds-top-goalkeepers”,”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”summary”:”CINCINNATI — C He was a level, balanced personality that helped Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario escape a hitting funk with a new team. That same calm vibe and veteran experience also allowed Candelario to meet in front of a sold-out crowd and great atmosphere on Wednesday.\nCandelario delivered on his promises. the first”,”tagline({\”formatString\”:\”none\”})”:null,”tags”:({“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,” title”: “Article”, “type”: “article”}, {“__typename”: “TaxonomyTag”, “slug”: “apple-news”, “title”: Apple News, “type”: “taxonomy “} ,{“__typename”:”GameTag”,”gamePk”:746701,”slug”:”gamepk-746701″,”title”:”2024/06/12 cle@cin”,”type”:”game” }, {“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-113″,”title”:”Cincinnati Reds”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:113″},”type”: ” team”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”mark-sheldon”,”title”:”Mark Sheldon”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag” , “slug”: “game-recap”, “title”: “game-recap”, “type”: “taxonomy”}, {“__typename”: “PersonTag”, “slug”: “playerid-600869”, “title ” “:”Jeimer Candelario”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:600869″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hot-streak ” ,”title”:”hot series”,”type”:”taxonomy”}),”type”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/ upload /{formatInstructions}/mlb/nhwryaz6gkqjjqmxokbr”,”title”:”Jeimer Candelario hits two homers as Reds’ top goaltender”}},”Team:113″:{“__typename”:”Team”,”id” :113} ,”Person:600869″:{“__typename”:”Person”,”id”:600869}}} window.adobeAnalytics = {“reportingSuiteId”:”mlbglobal08,mlbcom08″,”linkInternalFilters”:”mlb”} window.globalState = {“tracking_title”:”Major League Baseball”,”lang”:”en”} window.appId = ” /*–>*/
03:25 UTC
CINCINNATI – It’s a level-headed, even-keeled personality that helped Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario escape a rough patch with a new team. That same calm vibe and veteran experience also allowed Candelario to meet in front of a sold-out crowd and great atmosphere on Wednesday.
Candelario delivered the first multi-homer game of his tenure with the Reds. His solo home run and three-run home run gave Cincinnati all the scoring needed for a 4-2 victory over the Guardians in front of 42,427 spectators at Great American Ball Park.
“It helps a lot,” Candelario said of his experience. “It helps calm you down and reminds you that you did it.”
Although the Reds were already expected to have a crowded infield, they made Candelario their biggest offseason signing in December with his three-year, $45 million contract.
The club appreciated his veteran bat for a young team, but also the positive character of Candelario.
“For our team, we really studied that. It was important for our team,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Everyone we spoke to about Jeimer had nothing but positive things to say. Very important, not only the character in the clubhouse, but also as a hitter, the stability he brings to our lineup.
Candelario’s time with the Reds got off to a shaky start. On April 28, he was hitting .159 with two home runs after playing two games at Texas where he went 0 for 8 with seven strikeouts.
Was it frustrating to struggle? Of course. But Candelario never let the crisis of the first month get him down.
“It all started in the head. It comes in the body,” he said. “You want to be as calm as you want to be, as positive as you want to be. You want good vibes. But to create that, you have to have a routine. You need to be solid with this routine. This routine will give you your confidence and everything you need to succeed. If you can hit, you will hit. You just have to be patient.”
In the 37 games since the hitting debacle against the Rangers, Candelario has hit .292 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs.
“Great level. Never too high, never too low,” receiver Tyler Stephenson said. “He comes here every day very positive. He’s there, working. He has a huge impact. I’m glad he’s part of our team.
It was an Elly De La Cruz figurine party that helped draw the boffo box office for a playoff-type atmosphere, a regular-season weekday attendance record for the Reds. But it was Candelario who ended up being the big show.
Candelario gave the Reds a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Tanner Bibee when he hit a two-out home run to right center. For a while, it looked like that was all Cincinnati was going to muster against Bibee. After that homer, he retired 13 of the next 14 batters without giving up a hit.
Cleveland took a 2-1 lead against Nick Lodolo in the fourth inning before the Reds gained some momentum against Bibee in the bottom of the sixth. Will Benson led off with a single to right field, followed by TJ Friedl’s single to left field.
With one out and the count 3-2, Candelario stayed alive against Bibee with a foul ball on an outside fastball. The next pitch was a changeup at the bottom of the strike zone. Candelario was in front and lifted the ball for a drive to right field that gave Cincinnati the lead.
“(Bibee) was throwing some really good pitches,” Candelario said. “He was definitely locating his fastball. On that pitch out there, I said, ‘That’s a ball.’ It should be a walk. Keep grinding, stay back. If it’s in the strike zone, put the cannon on the ball please. thank goodness I did.
It was Candelario’s fifth multi-homer game of his career and first since July 25, 2022, for the Tigers against the Padres. His .779 OPS leads the club and he is tied for the team lead with 11 home runs and 15 doubles.
“Really tough,” Bibee said of the duel with Candelario. “The guy who’s hard to throw to is the guy who barely hits everything and then he can get a big one like that. I don’t necessarily think that pitch was a mistake. It was a good pitch. He just put a good swing on it.
As far as feeling good at the plate goes, Candelario felt like he was just getting there — even after a night like Wednesday. He wants it to continue.
“When a month or two weeks go like this, that’s what I’m looking for,” Candelario said. “As a switch hitter, it takes a lot of reps, a lot of time, a lot of dedication. I never take anything for granted.”