The Reds were swept by the Dodgers in the 3-game series. In fact, they were one improbable inning away from being swept on the entire 10-game home stand. They head to Milwaukee with last place in the division on the line.
Reds 0 Dodgers 1  | FanGraphs  | Secret Run Expectancy Chart
Anthony DeSclafani pitched really well. Over 7 innings he gave up 6 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 6 Dodgers. He did hit Chase Utley twice (getting HBP has become Utley’s entire game). In his last five games he’s struck out 28 and walked 4. At age 25, he looks like a solid #4 starter on a good rotation.
The Reds turned five double plays, which ties a club record. Brandon Phillips started the one in the second inning on a nice play. The ball had taken a big hop but hit the cutout on the infield grass and shot forward, skidding right above the ground. Dat Dude reacted quickly to field it and get the twin-killing rolling.
The Reds managed just four hits, but Tucker Barnhart had two of them. Barnhart is having a solid year at the plate against RH pitching and is a promising member of the 2016 Reds as a backup catcher if used properly. The Reds had three walks, two by Joey Votto and one by Jay Bruce. Votto had 19 walks on the 10-game home stand. The way he’s getting pitched around it’s a wonder he gets any hits at all. Yet he had three homers and two doubles in the home stand.
Ah, the bottom of the fifth. Microcosm of the Reds futility on offense. Jay Bruce led off with the walk and stole second on the first pitch. Jason Bourgeois failed to get a hit or advance Bruce, he struck out. Then Bruce had to wait (possibly a bad read, not sure) on Barnhart’s single to left and was only able to get to third. That brought pitcher Anthony DeSclafani to the plate, runners at 1st and 3rd with one out. All DeSclafani needed was a fly ball or ground ball that wasn’t a double play and the Reds would score a run. DeSclafani also has a .191 on-base percentage, so even a decent chance he wouldn’t make an out at all. DeSclafani had already failed to advance a runner with a bunt earlier in the game. Yet manager Bryan Price ordered a bunt, even with two strikes. It was bad execution by the Reds pitcher and bad strategy by the Reds manager. With Skip Schumaker’s strikeout (one of his three for the game) in the leadoff spot, the Reds failed to score.
The hardest hit ball by either team all day was by Todd Frazier in the first inning. It went right to the Dodgers left fielder.