Things didn’t go the Cincinnati Reds way on Sunday in a lot of different ways. They brought some of that on themselves as they dropped the series finale 9-4 in Pittsburgh as the Pirates were able to avoid being swept by picking up a win in game three to close out the weekend.
Neither team did much in the first inning and a half. But Pittsburgh got things rolling in the bottom of the 2nd. Nick Gonzalez led off with a single. Ryan O’Hearn picked up one of his own to follow when Elly De La Cruz and Edwin Arroyo both seemed to pull up on a grounder that split the two of them as they expected the other to make a play on it. Esmerlyn Valdez then hit a ground-rule double to make it 1-0. Former Red Tyler Callihan then hit a long 3-run home run that left the stadium to make it 4-0.
Cincinnati’s offense went to work in the 4th inning, but they got a little help from the Pirates to get things started when Brandon Lowe couldn’t come up cleanly with a groundball by Elly De La Cruz and the Reds shortstop reached on the error. Sal Stewart then lined a double off of the wall in right to put two men into scoring position. Both guys scored three pitches later when JJ Bleday singled into center to cut the lead to 4-2.
The Reds found themselves in trouble in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Callihan led of with a single. Brady Singer then got a groundball that looked like it could be a double play ball, but Edwin Arroyo lost the ball on the transfer from his glove to his throwing hand and recorded no outs and was charged with an error. Henry Davis then laid down a bunt that turned into a single to load the bases. Cincinnati and Brady Singer got out of it thanks to a grounder that turned into a force out at the plate, a strikeout, and a groundout to end the inning.
In the top of the 5th the offense went back to work for the Reds. Noelvi Marte started the rally with a walk and then he came around to score when Tyler Stephenson lined a double over the head of a diving Tyler Callihan in left field. Edwin Arroyo then plated Stephenson with a single into right field, tying the game up.
The game didn’t remain tied for very long. Ryan O’Hearn hit a 1-out home run in the bottom of the 5th to put Pittsburgh back on top. A single followed and that ended the day for Brady Singer as Julian Garcia came in from the bullpen. He got out of the inning unscathed. The next inning he would retire the first two hitters before walking the next three to load the bases. Zach McCambley then entered and stranded all three runners to end the 6th.
When McCambley returned for the 7th he walked each of the first three batters before exiting the game when manager Terry Francona called on Brock Burke from the bullpen. He got a pop up to start his outing. Two pitches later he got a grounder to third where Sal Stewart stepped on the bag for a force out and then fired home where Tyler Stephenson was waiting to make the tag on the runner for an inning-ending double play.
The Reds had their first two hitters of the 8th inning reach when Sal Stewart singled and JJ Bleday walked. But they went down in order after that and couldn’t bring in the tying run. Brock Burke would head to the mound to begin the 8th inning and he struck out Brandon Lowe and Cincinnati then made a pitching change and called Pierce Johnson in from the bullpen. But before he got to the mound the grounds crew hit the field to pull the tarp onto the field as the rain really began to come down in Pittsburgh.
When the game resumed Johnson walked back-to-back hitters before Ryan O’Hearn hit a 3-run home run to make it 8-4. Esmerlyn Valdez followed up with a home run of his own to tack on an additional run. The Reds would draw two walks in the top of the 9th but they would strand both runners as they dropped the series finale, failing to complete the sweep in Pittsburgh.
Key Moment of the Game
You can take your pick of Ryan O’Hearn home runs. The first one broke a 4-4 tie, but the second one made a 1-run game into a 4-run game in the 8th inning and all but sealed the win.
Notes Worth Noting
Eugenio Suarez was hit in the hand/wrist area by a pitch. He initially remained in the game, running the bases for himself with what looked like a knot the size of a golf ball where he was hit. When he was due to hit next he was pinch hit for by Nathaniel Lowe with a righty on the mound. After the game he noted that he had an X-Ray but it showed nothing because it was too swollen and he’ll get checked out again tomorrow with a CT scan. He also said he feels better than when it happened and he doesn’t feel like anything was broken but he will wait and see for tomorrow.
The bullpen walked eight batters, with Julian Garcia, Zach McCambley and Pierce Johnson being responsible for all of them in just 2.1 combined innings of work.
Hunter Greene and Emilio Pagan both pitched in Louisville this afternoon. Greene was dominant, allowing one hit in 6.1 shutout innings. We wrote about that when his outing was over with a lot more details if you want check that out. Pagan threw a shutout inning while also allowing a hit.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Milwaukee Brewers
Monday June 29th, 7:40pm ET
Nick Lodolo (2-2, 5.59 ERA) vs Robert Gasser (1-3, 4.50 ERA)