How the Reds are winning games despite having scored the fewest runs in MLB

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Cincinnati Reds have scored just 26 runs through their first nine games of the season, tied with the San Francisco Giants for the fewest in Major League Baseball. But after the Reds’ 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday, the team is 6-3, while the punchless Giants are 3-7. “Runs are kind of hard to come by right now, and we kind of proved this weekend that it doesn’t mean you have to lose,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “You’ll see a game here — and I hope it’s soon — where guys kind of break out and can relax a little bit, but right now it’s been hard.” In fairness, the Reds’ three losses on the season have come against perhaps two of the top starters in the game: Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The third came against one of the game’s top young pitching prospects in the Pirates’ Bubba Chandler.