After an uneven start to the 2026 season, Andrew Abbott is beginning to look like the pitcher who earned All-Star recognition a year ago. The left-hander continued his resurgence Sunday against the Houston Astros, firing six scoreless innings in the Cincinnati Reds’ 5-0 win at Great American Ball Park. Abbott allowed only three hits, walked one, and struck out five, including multiple punchouts of Yordan Alvarez, while never allowing a Houston runner to reach scoring position. The Stone Shields Show sponsors: Get 20% off sitewide at Homage with promo code CHATTER at checkout: homage.com/CBOX The Anthony Muñoz 78 Cigar! Get your box today: https://www.anthonymunoz.com/anthony-munoz-78-cigars Apply today at Sharefax Credit Union: Sharefax.org or call 513-753-2440 Learn more about our friends at QC Kinetix! Call (513) 655-3356 or visit qckinetix.com The outing pushed Abbott’s scoreless innings streak to 16.2 innings, a dominant stretch that has completely changed the tone around his season. Just a couple weeks ago, his ERA sat north of five and questions lingered about whether he could rediscover the command and confidence that made him one of Cincinnati’s most dependable starters in 2025. Now, Abbott looks composed again, locating his fastball on the corners and mixing his breaking pitches effectively to keep hitters off balance. What stands out most during this run is efficiency. Abbott needed only 85 pitches to complete six innings against Houston, and he retired nine consecutive batters during one stretch of the game. The Astros, despite featuring dangerous bats like Alvarez and Jose Altuve, never generated sustained pressure. For the Reds, Abbott’s resurgence could not come at a better time. Cincinnati has battled inconsistency early this season, but strong starting pitching remains the club’s clearest path back into the National League Central race. If Abbott continues to resemble the pitcher who broke onto the scene with historic scoreless streaks as a rookie in 2023, the Reds rotation suddenly becomes a major strength again. Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Holy (Trap). Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Exercise (Rock). #Bengals #Reds #TheStoneShieldsShow