Reds Wake Up: 14 Runs on 16 Hits in 1st : Cincinnati Shatters Major-League Records, Whips Houston 18-2

The Reds scored 14 runs in the first inning on a major-league record 16 hits and went on to beat the Houston Astros 18 to 2 today.

Seven Reds had two hits off Houston starter Jim Clancy and reliever Bob Forsch in the first, breaking a century-old record. The previous record for most batters with two hits in an inning was set by Chicago against Detroit in 1883.

The Reds fell one run short of the National League record for most runs in one inning, set by Brooklyn in the first inning against Cincinnati in 1952.

The previous one-inning hit record was set by the Boston Red Sox, who had 14 against Detroit in 1953. The NL record of 12 hits in one inning was held by the St. Louis Cardinals, who did it against Cincinnati in 1925.

Twelve of the first-inning hits were singles, breaking another major-league mark. St. Louis had 11 singles against Cincinnati in 1925, and Boston tied that mark against Detroit in 1953.

Luis Quinones, Eric Davis, Ken Griffey, Rolando Roomes, Todd Benzinger, Jeff Reed and Ron Oester all had two hits in the first inning Thursday.

The 16 hits broke the Reds’ record of 12 in one inning, set in 1942 against the New York Giants and tied in 1977 against Atlanta.

Clancy, 5-9, faced seven batters and retired none. He allowed seven runs on six hits and a walk. Forsch faced the next 13 batters, allowing 10 hits and seven runs.

The first eight Reds reached base before pitcher Tom Browning grounded out. The Reds then pounded Forsch for nine straight hits before he retired Mariano Duncan and Quinones to end the inning. Duncan and Quinones tied a major-league record with three plate appearances in an inning.

Duncan led off with a walk, stole second, and moved to third on a bunt single by Quinones. Davis singled home Duncan, and Griffey hit his seventh home run of the season to make it 4-0.

Singles by Roomes, Benzinger and Reed made it 5-0 and finished Clancy. Reed scored on a wild pitch by Forsch, and Oester’s RBI double made it 7 to 0 before Browning grounded out for the first out of the inning.

Duncan doubled home Oester and moved to third on Quinones’ second hit of the inning. Davis and Griffey followed with run-scoring singles to give the Reds a 10-0 lead.

Roomes’ infield hit loaded the bases, which Benzinger cleared with a double, making it 13 to 0. Benzinger moved to third on Reed’s second hit and scored on Oester’s single.

Browning singled to reload the bases, but Forsch retired Duncan and Quinones on fly balls to end the inning.

The Reds scored three more runs in the seventh and one in the eighth.