The Milwaukee Brewers cashed in their opportunities on Saturday evening as they beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3. Graham Ashcraft had some struggles and the bullpen didn’t help him out once he left as he took his first loss on his Major League career as the Reds dropped to 23-42 on the season.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers (37-30) |
7 | 11 | 1 |
| Cincinnati Reds (23-42) |
3 | 9 | 1 |
| W: Alexander (1-0) L: Ashcraft (3-1) | |||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Offense
Cincinnati’s offense wasn’t doing a lot early in the game, but in the bottom of the 3rd inning Aramis Garcia legged out a double on a ball down the left field line. Brandon Drury then hit a liner into left field that scored Garcia….. at least according to the third base umpire who said Tyrone Taylor trapped the ball on an attempted diving catch. Milwaukee challenged the play and won as it was a catch and was the third out of the inning, leaving the Reds scoreless and trailing 4-0.
Nick Senzel led off the 5th inning with a single and moved to 2nd base when Mike Moustakas followed with a walk. After Albert Almora Jr. grounded out to move the runners up, Aramis Garcia lined one to third but it was caught. That brought Jonathan India to the plate and he, like Garcia, hit the ball hard – a grounder with an exit velo of 104 MPH – and it took a funky hop on Willy Adames and ricocheted off of his glove, bringing Senzel in to score from third base. Brandon Drury grounded into a force out to end the threat, but Cincinnati got on the board for the first time on the day, cutting into the Brewers lead and making it a 4-1 game.
After Milwaukee scored two runs in the top of the 6th the Reds were able to get them back in the bottom of the inning. Cincinnati loaded the bases with three singles before a Mike Moustakas sacrifice fly and a Max Schrock RBI single made it a 6-3 game. That was the last time the Reds would score on the day.
The Pitching
Things didn’t start out well for Graham Ashcraft as he allowed a leadoff single to Christian Yelich and saw him advance to second on a throwing error by Tommy Pham. Ashcraft then uncorked a wild pitch that moved Yelich over to third. It probably didn’t matter much as Rowdy Tellez doubled into the gap in right-center, but standing on third Yelich could have done eight somersaults to the plate and still made it there safely. Ashcraft got the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Two innings later it was Yelich once again getting things started, leading off the inning with a single. Willy Adames followed with a 2-run homer on the next pitch to extend the Brewers lead to 3-0. Rowdy Tellez would walk and come around to score later in the inning on a Luis Urias double as Milwaukee jumped ahead 4-0.
With his pitch count mounting, Graham Ashcraft returned to the mound for the 6th inning and promptly walked Omar Narvaez and gave up a single to Tyrone Taylor before a pitching change was made. Reiver Sanmartin entered the game and gave up a 2-run double to the first batter he faced to make it a 6-1 ballgame. Sanmartin walked the next batter, too, but then retired the next three in order.
Cincinnati’s offense got the two runs back in the bottom of the frame but Luis Cessa entered for the top of the 7th and gave up a leadoff homer to Hunter Renfroe to make it a 7-3 score. That would be all that Cessa allowed before turning the game over to Ross Detwiler in the 8th. He had to work around a single and a walk, but he did just that and held the score where it was when he entered the game. Art Warren tossed a hitless 9th, but it wasn’t meant to be as the offense came up empty in the bottom of the inning to fall 7-3.
Key Moment of the Game
Jace Peterson’s double off of Reiver Sanmartin in the 6th inning that made it a 6-1 game.
Notes Worth Noting
Nick Lodolo threw 2.0 innings on his rehab start tonight for Louisville. He struck out six and walked one while giving up four hits and allowing two runs. There was no hard contact made at all.
The 1st hit he allowed was about a 937-hopper just to the right of the 2nd base bag. The 2nd hit was an infield single. The 3rd hit was a check swing blooper into center. The 4th hit was another infield single.
1IP, 4H, 2ER, 3K, 28 pitches, 21 strikes for Nick Lodolo.
— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24) June 18, 2022
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers vs Cincinnati Reds
Sunday June 19th, 1:40pm ET
Adrian Houser (3-7, 4.21 ERA) vs Mike Minor (1-2, 7.36 ERA)
3-22. Never Forget.
My wife hijacked the TV masters weekend and now again US OPEN.
Reds offense and bullpen still have major problems. Might be time to stop playing AAAA guys with no contract next year and 32+year old guys with no future….or just keeping marching on to 95 losses. This season is over and has been since 3-22.
Sorry Doug. The link to the box score was from yesterdays game.
Fixed! Thanks for the heads up.
Maybe Reds should have tried harder to trade for Yelich years ago! He just owns the Reds at GABP it seems like!
Ha ha Yeah, remember when people thought Colin Moran would do well at GABP, because he has always hit well against the Reds. Good times. Lol
I turned the game off adapter 4-0. This is the most miserable offensive Reds team I have seen in the 50 years I have been following baseball. The pitching staff has promise, but there is not a hitter in the line up that gives me confidence. I think they could find a better offensive on the waiver wire. When people here start praising Tommy Pham who is hitting .a whopping 256 you know you have a weak hitting team.
“Adaptor 4-0” would be a good band name.
Reds fans
Go to Louisville web site and look up lineup and ask yourself is this team going to be better in 2023. Reds have the worst AAA team in baseball. I hope Barrero isnt playing for planned rest. This roster at AAA and above is horrific and very deserving of their record
Blow it up.
AA isn’t much better. I think Dayton shows the most promise, but it’s hard to get a handle on players in A ball, so many will never see the big leagues.
I brought this up at the first of the year and was criticized because it was felt the Reds had one of the best systems in baseball.
The system seems pretty mediocre to me. Starting pitching of course being an exception. But, in terms of position players, the cover appears to be bare.
It hard for me to see this team competing in 2023 or 2024. Beyond that it’s anyones guess.
The one approach that could work would require the team to do the following:
1. Extend Castillo and Mahle (or at least Castillo)
2. Sign two middle of the line up bats (preferably outfielders)
3. Sign a closer and another solid reliever
I think this approach is feasible and could work. But it is asking Bob Castellini to not be Bob Castellini. In short to spend money. From all indications, it’s not the route they plan to take. So, I think likely this team will be spinning it’s wheels in fourth or fifth place for the foreseeable future.
Let’s face it, there isn’t any indication that ownership thinks the Reds are even on the wrong track. Perhaps, if they break the team record for losses it might dawn on them that changes are needed.
Big free agent contracts are almost never worth it. I bet the Angels really regret signing Pulohs and Rendon. If the Reds made a mistake like singing Rendon, it would bankrupt the franchise.
There isn’t much at AAA but I think Santana deserves a shot ahead of some of the guys they are playing now. He is only 25 and is hitting over .300. I would much rather see him then Reynolds, Moose and a few others. What is there to lose this season is over. They need to eat the Moose contract he is only taking up space. I know some hope to get rid of him in some trade, but that will not happen. Besides let’s say you can package him with Castillo in a deal, sounds good but it will really lessen the return which is why you were trading Castillo in the first place.
Just watched Nick Lodolo’s 2 innings. As Doug noted, first inning was full of dinks and dunks and some “bad luck” hits and a couple of runs. Second inning he looked much better. I think he’ll be fine. Just needs to build back up.
Then, of course, where does he slot in? It will be early July (most likely) so perhaps we’ll see one (or more) of our trade candidate SP’s in another uniform by then. 6-man rotation was mentioned by the WLW booth today (would help limit innings for the young studs).
For now, he’s at L’Ville and working his way back. That’s a good thing.
The bad thing about the 6 man rotation is it shortens the bullpen as you can only have 13 pitchers. This bullpen is terrible already and would be even worse shorthanded.
I have never unstood why a mlb team needs 13 pitchers to begin with… especially with a DH. If they wa t to short games, they should shorten bullpens
@Larkin I don’t know if I agree, the pen doesn’t get better with quantity, just quality. Having 13 pitchers not only dilutes the talent, but you’re creating rusty players. Also with the man on 2B in extras (i refuse to say ghost runner) helps lessen the innings in an extra inning game.
It’s extremely hard to fashion a top bullpen. And money spent doesn’t often equal good results. Go read the article on The Athletic about the Red Sox bullpen if you think it’s easy.
We should obviously have a better bullpen, but it takes years of crafting it and developing pitchers into the role for success. Signing a couple guys that had previous experience usually doesn’t work. Go look at the upcoming free Agent relief pitchers this off season. Very underwhelming.
I admire the brewers and cardinals for developing pitchers specifically for a bullpen role.
The other bad thing is a 6 man rotation will limit how many inning Lodolo will be able to get in this year. If Greene / Ashcraft hits their innings limit a month early, at least they would have reached it. We might not get to use them in the playoff this year, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take.
The Reds need to go ahead and Trade 1 of their starters by the time Lodolo is stretched out, or put Minor in the pen. No one is going to trade for Minor, no one.
No one except Nick Krall
At this point in the season I am reminded of a Winston Churchill quote: “Victory is the ability to keep on going after each defeat.” or words to that effect. It’s easier to surge ahead with wins, than to be beat down with losses. The Reds will persevere. And they have shown that they can score runs and win ballgames. The price of victory is also in the inevitable defeat along the way. (I said that.) I will always back the Reds, and enjoy every run, and every win…
I’m with you. No way could I have ever been a fan of any other team but the Reds. Things change. There’s a lot of pressures we’re not aware of.
I don’t watch the Reds. I just come here and read the usually dismal recaps and sometimes the comments. When Castelinni asked, “what you going to go”? Well, I watch alternatively between the Cardinals and the Braves.
There’re also a comment I will make. You may lose the battle but not the war, but if you lose enough battles you definitely will lose the war.
The quote this team brings to my mind is the old Bob Trumpy Sports Talk signature line, “In sports, the opposite of love isn’t hate; it’s indifference”.
The Reds sloppy play this week has me on the cusp of indifference towards them for the 2nd or 3rd time this year. And it just keeps getting harder for me to step back from the edge each time.
Welp.
On the bright(?) side, the Reds are officially a .500 team since the 3-22 start.
On the not so bright side, that 3-22 start still counts.
On the dark side, I don’t think they are going to be a .500 team going forward.
I still have yet to watch a single pitch of the Cincinnati Reds this season. I’ll check in here or on ESPN.com when they come to mind, but lately I find they really don’t come to mind that often.
So why am I still here? As a lifelong Reds fan, I guess it’s hard to completely quit them, but I am starting to find, slowly, that I just don’t think about them all that much anymore.
It’s sad what has become of this once proud franchise, and I am fairly certain I’m not alone as a lifelong fan who simply doesn’t care anymore since ownership clearly doesn’t care either.
I find myself spending much more time following the offseason flow of CBJ than I used to do. On a day to day basis, I am probably more anxious for the Stanley Cup to end and the serious hockey off season to hit high gear than about what the Reds will do in the next several weeks.
Watching the play of the Avalanche, whom I’ve followed since Day One dating back to the first season when I was living in Denver, has made it a lot easier to forget about the Reds (and the other two floundering baseball teams I pay attention to, Rockies and Tigers–ugh, what a season). I will be starting some serious withdrawal when the Stanley Cup Finals end. I will have to formulate a new answer for “Where you gonna go?” I’ll come up with something, Phil, trust me.
I hear you Jim. I’ve always been a sport junkie and go from season to season watching something. I enjoyed watching the NY Rangers this past couple of years with all the young kids playing and getting their shot. I would have to say the Reds are at the bottom of my favorite four sports teams now and looks like they will remain there for awhile.
I’m totally with you, C. Have been trying to watch, but it just upsets me. For me after nearly 70 years, it is quite hard to “quit them”, but I’m getting there. This ownership & front office has no effective evaluation skills. Anybody can have a bad year or two, but just look at the past 17 years. This current mess is all too typical. They continually make poor decisions on players. And then you’ve got young Castellini who has a job for only one reason mouthing off. It doesn’t help that I am down on MLB in general with a number of the rule changes (DH, ghost runners, etc.). Never thought I would miss the Marge Schott ownership! Schottzie herself might have made better player assessments!
Ownership doesn’t care about the fans. Just the bottom line. They do not hate the fans. No. They choose the path of (indifference) towards the fans and winning. Sad, because in years past there was always hope that the owners had a plan. Hope the rebuild would eventually culminate into an exciting, talented team that could make a playoff run. Not just for one or two years and then blow it completely apart AGAIN. I understand the competitive unbalance in all of baseball. So how does St.Louis remain good every year? Are they in such a more dynamic market size? Life long Reds fan and each day tests my hope in this ownership/franchise. Something must change. 43,000 on opening day proves we are still out here. Where will we go from here?
If only fans showed up to reds games like they do for the cards it would be different….. Haha that’s the excuse at least. The cards work wonders. Not being in a large market, constantly picking near the bottom of the draft. They are a smart, well run team that sticks to a long crafted plan. The reds are a dumpster fire, jumping from one plan to the next. Blaming market size, the fans, baseball itself, anything except the obvious. The williams and Castellini’s that are left, have to deal with the fact that they’ve run all the family businesses into the ground, and this absolute dumpster fire of a baseball team that has no hope of winning playoff games, is actually their only source of revenue. What a country. If only we had relegation or anything that could send a message. We do not. Just no hope. Total indifference is the only path forward. They’ll try to fool us with a nice single a team, while the rest of the minors is also trash, but don’t be fooled. The intelligence isn’t there in the owners box to compete and never will be.
Wow! Those Tony Robbins tapes have been paying off on the positive thinking. Total indifference is a great path to victory!
2 things made me give up on this season pretty much. One I saw the Cards last week and they have some amazing young hitters. Their scouting is obviously doing something right while ours fail. Two I saw the Reds upcoming schedule. They have some 13-1 Yankee and Dodger beatdowns in their near future and I have no interest in watching or hearing about that. It just reinforces the gulf between haves and have nots.
I’d like the Reds to stay the course with purging the old guys and not signing any new long term contracts and focusing on drafting and developing young talent. The Reds still have a clean slate in 2024. They’ve added some young pitching through the ranks. Time to add some young hitting with the draft and trades.
I like Mahle a lot and if he would sign an extension for his final A3 year and 2 years of FA at say $15-17 AAV- sure. That’s paying when he is still good and in his prime and reasonable within a Reds potential window.. But players are looking for that huge contract at 5-6 years that carries them past their prime well into their mid 30’s. Castillo turns 30 this winter. Nick C loved you in 2021- not so much in 2026. Reds cant afford to be paying guys in their mid 30”s in 2026/27/28 $20 mil AAV based on what they did in 2020/21/22.
Look at Cain. He got 5/80 and Brewers took a bath final 2 years.
Moose is done at 33.
Reds need to model the Rays. They get 6 picks in the draft coming up at 18/32/55/73/94/126. Grab best player available at 18-73 and then target some college arms at 94/126 for bullpen pieces. Trade Mahle and Castillo for (2) elite position prospects and more pitching. Build your core nucleus and continue player development in 2023 and then sign FA to finish for 2024.
I agree whole heartedly. I still think that has been their strategy since rehiring David Bell on a two year window. They tried to fill in some gaps to try to look respectable (and were projected to win 78 games early in the season) but now playing those “veterans” just looks foolish now that a return to the mid to upper 60s level of wins seems likely no matter who they play.
For whatever reason, it looks like the Bats are managing to “keep up” with the Reds as they have posted a record nearly identical to them at 23-41. This record (at .359) is within uncomfortable distance of the worst season ever for the Bats in 2012 (51-93, .354). That record followed 6 straight winning seasons after which they leaned into their AA manager to take the reins. The new manager moved on after that year and has now circled back a decade later to another situation that seemed impossible to contemplate (3-22). Well, in some ways its great to have some “continuity” in the organization. My late parents have some good stories about the Crosley field bleachers and that magical 1956 team.
Going back in time, 1956 seems to be the 1st season I don’t have many, if any, specific direct personal memories about. It is implanted in my mind it was Robby’s (Frank Robinson) rookie season. Looking at BBRef’s team page, the rest of the principal names sound familiar; but, I don’t have memories of how the season played out or specific games. I do recall all the general buzz about the team among the adults around me but that’s it.
91 wins in 154 games were only good enough for 3rd place,-2 games to the pennant winning Brooklyn Dodgers. For some reason, I recall the 2nd place Milwaukee Braves with Warren Spahn, Lew Burdette, Hank Aaron, et al as the primary protagonist of the Reds team. Those summer evenings often with folks gathered in a backyard circle listening to the Reds were a hallmark of my youth.
They had 5 players with more than 28 HRs helping set the MLB record of 221. Their hard hitting finally established a solid lineup featured 6 guys out of the starting 8 that played at least 138 games out of 154. This came off of 11 straight losing seasons. Attendance exploded to the the 3rd best in the NL. The pennant was decided amongst 3 teams in the last couple of days. Big Klu, who played sleeveless, and had a 35/102/.302 old time slash line made quite an impression and ROY Robinson with similar numbers must have been a huge draw as well.
It seems where position players are concerned, AAA has long been a spot where Reds park AAAA depth guys ahead developing players for MLB.
Right now, exclusive of Solano on rehab, the only real prospect position guy at AAA is Barrero. Lopez, Fairchild and Kolozsvary are fringe maybes as utility guys. Moran is a parked depth guy. Dawson also appears to be no more than a depth guy who got on the 40 man because of injuries and could be off at any time another 40 man spot needs to be created.
The memory of the Milwaukee Braves is spot on. Without looking up anything I think one year the Reds were 2-20 vs the Braves. Other years 4-18 and so on. It was almost hard to believe the dominance that they had over the Reds. Along with Aaron, Bruton, Mathews, Torre, Logan Covington made a mockery of the competition.
Lew Burdette was the Gaylord Perry of that era. The whole world was convinced his “sinker” was really a spitter. Like Perry, Burdette played it coy and did nothing to dispel the talk which gave it even longer, stronger legs.
In 1956 the Reds went 9-13 versus Milwaukee. They split even with the Dodgers and Phillies with a winning record against every other team. Given the Phils had an overall 71-83 mark, I guess it could be more accurate to say they cost the Reds the pennant; but the Phils also had a one game better record versus the Braves than against the Reds so then again maybe not.
Lineup posted and no Shrock against a righty. Oh well I got better things to do. I just don’t see this team winning much the rest of the first half. They might get thst elusive 110 losses
Yeah, Almora is good enough to start against RH pitchers, has an .800+ OPS over the last week and has come up big in some moments against them but with the bases loaded Saturday, he gets pulled for Shrock, making his 2nd PA of the year, when the next hitter was going to pitch hit for too. Then Schrock can’t start today?
What Bell is really saying is that if the game comes down to a single PA versus a RH pitcher, he’d rather have Schrock at the plate as a PH than Moose or even Votto, either of whom could have been sat out to get Schrock a start today.
I am reaching the point where I just don’t care. This is a bad team and Bell and management is making it worse than it actually is. The time has come for major changes in all areas.