Everything pointed towards a win for Cincinnati as they entered the 9th inning holding a 3-2 lead, but then the Mets tied the game up and dropped a 5-run 10th inning as the Reds bullpen blew yet another game. New York’s win gave them a series win and dropped Cincinnati to 28-53 on the season.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Mets (51-31) |
8 | 16 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (28-53) |
3 | 5 | 0 |
| W: Ottavino (3-2) L: Moreta (0-2) |
|||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Offense
Jonathan India was hit by a slider on the ankle to start the bottom of the 1st inning. He would stay in the game and run the bases, but he would be stranded. He didn’t come to the plate the next time he was due up, being replaced at designated hitter by Mike Moustakas in the 2nd inning.
The Reds were trailing 1-0 entering the 2nd inning, but Matt Reynolds drew a 1-out walk and Nick Senzel took the first pitch he saw and crushed it eight rows deep into the seats in left field to put the Reds ahead 2-1. Cincinnati added to their lead an inning later when Brandon Drury led off with a single and stole second base before scoring on a ground-rule double down the right field line by Kyle Farmer.
In the 4th inning Nick Senzel and Albert Almora Jr. walked to start the inning, but Senzel was picked off by the catcher for the first out of the inning. Michael Papierski walked to put two men back on base, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning in what would represent the last big opportunity for the Reds to score before extra innings.
The 10th inning would be anti-climactic for the Reds offense after the Mets scored five runs in their half to take an 8-3 lead. Cincinnati went 1-2-3, dropping the game and the series.
The Pitching
Graham Ashcraft hit Brandon Nimmo to lead off the game. He would move to third base on a ball that took a bad hop on Matt Reynolds and score when Jeff McNeil grounded a single into right field to put the Mets up 1-0.
After the Reds took a 3-1 lead over the next two innings, New York got back on the board in the 4th. Dominic Smith doubled to lead off the inning and he scored on a 2-out single by Tomas Nido. Brandon Nimmo followed with a single of his own to put two men on, but Ashcraft induced a ground out to end the inning. That was the last time that the Mets scored against the big righty, who exited the game after the 6th inning with a 3-2 lead.
Joel Kuhnel got the first two outs of the 7th inning before Pete Alonso singled. That brought Reiver Sanmartin into the game to face Jeff McNeil and he got a ground out to end the inning. Sanmartin returned to fire a perfect 8th inning.
Hunter Strickland came out for the 9th to try and pick up the save. He couldn’t get the job done, giving up a single to Brandon Nimmo and then a game-tying RBI double to Starling Marte before getting a ground out and a pop up to end the inning and send it to the bottom of the 9th all tied up.
Cincinnati didn’t score in their half of the 9th inning, so the game headed to extras. Dauri Moreta came on to begin the frame and got Jeff McNeil to fly out to begin the inning but then saw Dominic Smith double in Ender Inciarte who began the inning on second base as the Mets took a 4-3 lead. Eduardo Escobar hit a lazy fly ball into right field for the second out. The Reds then opted to intentionally walk Luis Guillorme to bring James McCann to the plate and the move didn’t work as McCann singled into right field and Tommy Pham’s throw was a bit off of the plate and saw Smith slide in safely, with McCann taking second base on the throw home. Brandon Nimmo followed up with a 3-run homer to make it 8-3. The end.
Notes Worth Noting
At 28-53 if you watched the game to the end I have to imagine this is a self portrait.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds
Thursday July 7th. Doubleheader. Game 1: 2:10pm | Game 2: 7:10pm
Roansy Contreras (2-2, 4.09 ERA) vs Mike Minor (1-5, 6.82 ERA)
Bryan Wilson (1-4, 7.49 ERA) vs TBA
More than a cough. Pretty much vomited up the lead.
We needed Farmer’s ball to go over the wall to make it 4-2 but he didn’t quite get enough of it. Senzel getting picked off 2nd with nobody out hurt as well. Just not enough offense for a team that doesn’t have a closer.
Is there ever enough offense for a team without a BP?
Imagine the Reds losing a double – header to the Pirates tomorrow.
In your heart, you know it can happen.
We lost the first game. 0-0 in second game. We could lose both games.
back-to-back nights by Strickland was probably asking too much. But as Phil said, “where are you going to go”. THE BP is burned up and also needed for a dH tomorrow. Just when you think Moretta has turned a corner he shows us he hasn’t.
Defensively, we are just not good. We don’t get to enough balls or we aren’t positioned correctly. This is where more youth could definitely help.
Good Game by Ashcraft, Senzel and Drury. Keep it up guys, help is on the way.
Agree on the ‘D.’ Senzel and Amore can go get the ball, but the infield defense is horrible. Why is Barrero not playing SS? I thought he was to be the answer at SS? Are the Reds jerking him around like they did Senzel?
Barrero is hitting .201 with 64 Ks in 149 ABs in AAA. He is coming back from injury.
This was to be Barrero year. Maybe even make or break. But a 2 month injury left him behind and to get into shape at Louisville. This hasn’t come to fruition as he has struggled mightily at Louisville. No one doubts his defensive abilities but he has to hit to some degree at the majors. 190 isn’t going to cut it but 230 might. There are a good number of good field, no hit SS that hang around for years. You can get one pretty cheap if that is what you really want to improve the team. CF is a much higher bar. At this point, I would say the best thing for Barrero and the Reds is to start hitting the dang ball and quit striking out. In the absence of that, I can’t see any further progression being of any value to him or the Reds. Many folks are confident that the hitting will come but at this point it has not.
This is not about wins and loses anymore. Of course I would rather see us win, but I am more interested in how our future guys played. I color tonight a success. Ashcraft is a battler. Senzel finally showing his talent. Lets hope he stays healthy. Tyler Stephenson will be back soon. It is pretty clear the Reds need to find a real closer here over the next year or two. And when Stephenson went down the catching position has not looked good. Okey? Papierski? Woof. If Tyler gets moved to 1b or DH Reds need to find a better backstop quickly among their many other needs.
I agree with most of what you wrote with one exception: Papierski has done a good job behind the plate. He’s surprised me there.
His offense is a different story of course, but no one expected him to hit much anyway and I doubt anyone expects him to be a long term solution.
Agree. That .120 average is hard to swallow but he has caught well and has done a good job handling the pitchers.
Agree on the catcher situation, which is why I don’t understand the calls to move Stephenson. He’s an elite hitter at C, but just a good one at 1B and then you have to find someone at the much more difficult position to provide offense.
Agree. Tyler’s value to the Reds, and most other teams, is as a catcher. This talk moving him to first base does not help Tyler or the Reds. There are a good number of first basemen that hit 280 with 20 HRs. There are very few C. They are all stars. Because of injuries, Buster Posey only caught like 60-70% of the games in his last few years. If we could get that out of Tyler for the next 10 years, I think it would be a win win. Of course, you would also need a real backup catcher, not the Dollar Store guy, and a regular IB who could slide into another position (DH?) a couple days per week. A Josh Bell or Brandon Belt type.
Senzel is starting to show his hitting talent but also is consistently making poor decisions once he is on base.
Tonight he pulled a flat out, no doubt TOOTBLAN getting picked off 2B for the 1st out of an inning. Then he followed that up by getting thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, the 2nd or 3rd time in the last couple of weeks he has done that. Call it a 1.5 TOOTBLAN night for him to go along with the positive.
totally agree Jim. Both India, Senzel and for that matter Aquino, have the speed but really need to work on their base running skills. I wonder if Larkin can work with them on that
@jim getting picked off was a bad move by Senzel but trying for 2 on the ball he hit to left field I can live with that aggression especially considering we had the lead at the time.
I’ll take an out trying to stretch a single into a double any day of the week. But, yes, he gets picked off when he is on base too often. I’m sure he feels terrible about that. Its a lack of focus by a young player but is surprising for a college player with several years in the minors and several years in the majors. Really, just no excuse for it.
Agreed on the pick off. He does seem to be a little unfocused on the bases at times. Taking too big an agressive lead, maybe, but if you’re going to do that you got to know your limit to get back safely. Can’t blame it on inexperience at this point. He’s no longer a rookie.
Agree Jim. It’s just that Nick isn’t instinctual on the basepaths and especially on defense. You notice how on a couple balls in the gap recently he was waving his arms like there was a fire someplace….I think the coaching staff had to get on him to be more authoritative out there. On the double attempt a head first slide gets him in safely but he slid feet first right into the tag….when the play was right in front of him. It’s that kind of stuff.
Still, happy to see him hitting, especially pulling a ball with power. It was the missing piece to Tyler Stephenson’s game as well, so hopefully Nick can be opportunistic with inner half pitches because I’m sure the league knows his default setting is to hit to the right side.
Well Larkin said at the end of the game “even though they lost, they had an opportunity to win, and that’s all you can ask for”…..so that’s all you can ask for as a reds fan…the “opportunity” to win a game….well every team that steps on the field has an opportunity to win the game. The difference is that “winners” take that opportunity & win games and losers do what the reds do year in & year out….flush the “opportunity “ down the toilet
Great point about Larkin. Every time someone mentions him as a possible managerial candidate, I think of him saying things like this and I think to myself “nope.” Just knowing that my manager expressed that kind of attitude before he became my manager, I’d be thinking he doesn’t have the attitude it takes to win.
Larkin certainly had the attitude to win as a player, but great players rarely become successful managers.
I have never like the idea of Larkin as the coach. Not that it matters who the coach is at this point.
Maybe in Boston or NY, but I don’t think you want managers or announcers constantly reminding the fans how bad their team is…their job is to try and keep the team and fanbase afloat mentally. I don’t believe they are trying to fool us or are abetting poor performance.
How many games have the Reds bullpen lost this year does anyone know????
It is not just Larkin. I have heard legendary coaches make this same comment . . . you need to get your team in position where they have opportunity to win the game. The first time I heard that, it was spoken by Bob Knight. I remember it because it surprised me then.
Was at the game tonight. Great seats a few rows behind the diamond seats. Found myself drifting back to the thrill I felt as a young kid going to games at Crosley. Great game for 8 innings. I will never understand why managers feel they have to pull a reliver who is doing well. Doesn’t make any sense. Still love the experience, not always the outcome
SanMartin got it done in the 7th. inning with one pitch and in the 8th. it was one two three. With him in the grove, why not let him pitch the 9th.inning? But the game has changed with increased constant use of the bullpen, in the same way complete games by starting pitchers are a rarity.
Stupid to trade for minor big contract instead of 2-3 real relievers.
I have been saying this to my friends all year. If we were truly building for the future, wouldn’t it have made sense to sign 2 good relievers for that money rather than an aging pitcher. I am sure it would have resulted in more wins this year and allowed the Reds to develop the young bullpen guys rather than them being overworked and thrown to the wolves as they have been this year.
you could have stopped the sentence at Minor
Ultimately the Reds lost because their pitchers didn’t make the pitches they needed to or perhaps the Metz hitters were just better. However, the Reds did not help themselves tactically in the 9th or 10th inning.
Time was the standard defense late in one run games was to take away the foul lines so as not to get beaten by a ball hit right down the line into the corner. And of course, the Reds being the Reds got handed their lunch in both innings by a ball hit right down each line with the defender shading to the middle of the diamond.
Excellent point Jim. I thought the same thing as I watched it happen. At worst, Solano could have knocked that down, and preserve the lead in the 9th.
I saw three balls last night that could’ve been knocked down to prevent baserunners from advancing. It’s maddening watching guys who supposedly care refuse to put their bodies in front of a ground ball yet willingly expose their bodies to 100mph when they hit.
Also, looking at the pitches thrown, other than Moreta’s hanging change up wandering into the middle of the plate, it looked like they gave the Mets too many pitches in the same place. They seemed to go right back to a swing and miss location and then get it hit. Maybe you keep that swing and miss location in your back pocket and bring it back a pitch or two later.
great cartoon Doug, that is indeed a self portrait of me and my situation. I am 2-9 in the games I have attended this year and yet I am still looking forward to attending the game thursday night. at least it will be mainly reds fans in the park as pirate fans don’t travel well. it is also a 7:10 start which i much prefer over the 6:40 start as I drive from Indiana.
makes me wonder though… what role do teams in like the reds, A’s, Pirates, Royals play in today’s league? saw the pirates lost to the yankees 16-0. what is the purpose of these 2 teams playing each other? these games are getting more and more absurd yet the league is heading in the opposite direction. instead of a weighted schedule where the weaker teams don’t have to play the best teams next year mlb is going to an nba type schedule where everybody plays everybody. we may see a day where a team like the reds goes 20-142. But stupid me will still show up to gabp
You are right. The travel patterns of Steeler and Pirate fans to Cincy are quite a contrast.
Pirates beat the Yankees Tuesday.
But historically haven’t the poorer teams always been the feeder teams for the Yankees, etc.? Thinking of the St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia As……. IMO the collective bargaining agreement was an abject failure because it didn’t address tanking with a minimum payroll. The player’s union paid lip service to that ideal, but didn’t care enough to force the issue.
Consider how they’ve botched the bullpen just since the Bradley acquisition, then again the first 1/2 of last year. Amongst all those issues, anyone remember the screaming last year about getting a SS, and the Rays had Adames sitting on the block, and then watching the Brewers grab him, and go on to the playoffs in large part on his play? An excellent trade, right? Yes, and look at what Feyereisen and Rasmussen have since done for the Rays, and how they’ve handled them.
I like the recent pitching prospect deals, and the Reds may make something of the Hoffman deal, but they’re still not at the level of sophistication of dealing MLB talent for MLB talent. Even if the Castillo/Mahle deal or deals are for prospects, they’ll still face a time when needing to deal MLB player for MLB player.
Right nice point. This should not be hard to correct however, right?
This was a reply to Jim about his comment concern Senzel and his baserunning…
Thanks moon. Agree shouldn’t be hard to correct.
@moon,
I would think the situation with Senzel getting caught trying to stretch singles or getting picked off (which has also happened multiple times this year) is very coachable if they have a coach who works with such things and the coach is tied in with their video people.
The issue very likely goes back to the speed of play at MLB level versus college and the minor leagues. The defenders at MLB probably are just quicker at getting the ball from point A to point B while Senzel is moving at the same or even slightly slower speed (due to aging) as he was in college or the minors.
Put together some video clips to review with him that demonstrate graphically and give him some mechanism relate how quickly the ball is going to get from where a defender is to where he is going. Show him how much he needs to shorten his secondary lead from 1st or 2nd base. Show him how long it takes him to get from a point rounding 1st to 2nd versus how long it takes a fielder to retrieve and get the ball to 2B.
how about a question from Charlie Goldschmidt of Enquirer or C.t Trent of Athletic to David Bell – what are you doing to help Nick Senzel avoid the base running mistakes we keep seeing this year? I’d like to hear the answer to the level Jim Walker so eloquently just described.
Dont worry about bullpens. They’re unpredictable.
You can say a lot about the Reds’ bullpen, but you can’t call it unpredictable. It is as predictable as the sun rising in the east.
Tyler Stephenson had a good night at the plate in his 2nd rehab game with the AAA Bats. He went 2/4, one of the hits a double, had an RBI, and caught 7 innings in a game the Bats won 7-6 in 10 innings.
Also, Stuart Fairchild did not disappoint me. He kept his OPS with the Bats >1.000 with a double and home run (2 RBIs) in 4 official trips to the plate.
Alejo Lopez also went 2/4 with a HR and double netting him 2 RBIs. His AAA OPS is now .722
Alas, Jose Barrero went zip for 5 with 3Ks dropping his AAA OPS to .615 on the season,
Perish the thought Jonathan India might miss more time after the HBP to his ankle Wednesday but if he does, here’s guessing Lopez gets the recall. And a hint to the Reds, play the guy every day versus running Reynolds out to 2B every day or putting Drury there to open 3B for Solano or Moose. The future starts now.
@jim boy I wish Barrera would get things turned around. In 148 AB’s he has K’d 64 times and only drew 9 BB. My hope is things will turn around the farther he gets from his injury.
Barrero had a 22% strikeout rate last year in AAA, and presumably did not forget how to hit in the offseason. His high rate this year would seem to indicate that his hand is a bigger issue than he or the organization wants to admit.
Daniel Vellojin took about half the season to get his swing back, from the same injury.
@Ed +1000 further comment from me below.
@Ed I am rooting for him to get turned around. The organization needs to develope players. He has skills we desperately need especially considering ownership doesn’t appear anxious to dive into the FA market.
Man, Barrero has been a bust so far, the infield of the future might be India, Mclain, De La Cruz and who Mcgarry. I know some are down on Mclain but, he is a ball player and will be ok. I am a little concerned about India but I think he will be fine in time, a lot of injuries this year. The outfield well, Senzel is looking better after that I don’t know, hopefully trades and free agent signings. The pitching should be solid, with all the starters and the bull pen can be built. Oh one more thing, must find a new General Manager and Manger.
I don’t agree Barrero has been a bust. Keep in mind that at AAA last year, he put up a .986 OPS/ 158 OPS+ on 200PAs. He is coming back from the hamate injury/ surgery which cost him all of spring training. Others who have played through the same issue say it can take as long as a year to be fully back to “normal” following the surgery.
As far as his MLB time, he has shown (in 2020 as well in spot duty in 2021) that he is at the least an above average and perhaps even premier defender at SS. He has also been jacked around by the Reds at the top level versus being put in his natural position and allowed to develop offensively.
Above should have been 158 wRC+ not OPS+, very similar but technically different metrics.
Then again, maybe he never recovers. While Suarez may have suffered from trying to get to 50 HRs, he may also have never quite recovered from his shoulder injury.
The lost spring training argument is wearing thin. ST was shortened this year. So everybody lost some ST. Barrero has had over 150 PAs. How many PAs does the typical player get in ST, even in a normal year? A. Garcia had a full ST but where is his performance in 2022. Did Votto miss ST, or Moose? How many ABs did it take for Pham to find a groove, or Drury, or any other Red?
Have to get past ST argument and accept that Barrero has likely not fully recovered his form since the injury, and is not trending any better recently. In fact, his earlier part of the season was better than his current part. 2023 should be his focus.
How many players who hit .200 at AAA got called up and became competent hitters at the big league level? I suspect that list is short. I believe the injury, and its mental/confidence effects, are behind the poor performance. Whether he recovers and excels remains to be seen. Look how long it has taken Senzel to even show flashes of his projected brilliance since his string of injuries.
@Doc>> I do not disagree that the injury is probably the major factor for Barrero at this point, both physically and quite possibly mentally also.
The fact that he started with a burst and has been steadily trending down over the last month could be a further indication his wrist is 100% and is fatigued and/ or weak.
Barrero is indeed a bust,Unfortunately the best hitting prospect the Reds have now is at A+ in De La Cruz
Hard to believe folks are writing off Barrero at this stage.
A ‘bust’?
Come on….
Are people reading about the particular injury and surgery that he had and the time it takes to recover?
Is Greene a bust as well?
Give it some time….
In any event, I’m ready for an excellent glove man at shortstop.
It isn’t Farmer and it won’t be De La Cruz.
If that’s the case the Reds will have a gaping offensive hole at 2b
Old guys 1-16 at the plate.No range in the field to make the routine plays.
What we’re seeing with Hunter Strickland this year is what we would’ve seen from Heath Hembree last year had he been allowed to keep pitching in high leverage situations. Difference being this year’s bullpen is desperate for arms so we have to keep guys around.
Yes, and I was also thinking of David (Stormy) Weathers as Strickland was pacing around between pitches. Due credit to Stormy though, he did not have as many meltdowns as Strickland has this year.
In 2007 Stormy had 33 saves and 6 blown saves, For his career, the numbers were not quite as good 75/36 but if memory serves correctly 2007 was his only year as the fulltime official closer
I check what the younger players do at the plate and how our young starters do on the mound on most nights.I know the older players are in decline and it shows at the plate and in the field.Pen has less then a 50/50 chance to put up zeroes.Trade deadline may reveal some sort of plan though I fear we will continue to see what we have seen with this team.Personally I would just play younger players and see if what happens.Just want this team to get a little more athletic on the field.Love what the Bucs and Cubs are doing by moving forward with the young guys.Hope the Reds make a good decision on Votto
Re BP: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got. Reds are exhibit A. Yankees Mariano Rivera was exhibit A.1
So now we are complaining about the “old guys” always something. If they played the young guys. People still complain and Nick Senzel isn’t old… good grief.
But neither is Senzel any longer truly young. This is his age 27 season. He should be at or near his ceiling and (hopefully) be able to maintain near that level for more 3 years or so.
Here are some comps for guys at the end of their age 27 season.
Byron Buxton 16.2 career bWAR (drafted #2 overall in 2012);
Kris Bryant 25 career bWAR (drafted #2 overall in 2013);
Alex Bregman 26.0 career bWAR (drafted #2 overall in 2015);
Nick Senzel -1.2 career bWAR (drafted #2 overall in 2016- currently age 27 season);
Jonathan India 2.7 career bWAR (drafted #5 overall in 2018 currently age 25 season)
Reds are in a tough stretch with 11games in 10 days. Hopefully on the position player side, the frequent games and AB’s can get hitters into a rhythm- Senzel/India/Votto/Stephenson/Almora/Votto and even Pham and Drury can build trade value. The flip side is the pitching and overuse and DH today then 3 against Rays and the a day off with @ 6 yanks/Cards.
The lack of a collective bargaining agreement back in early March made it seemingly impossible to play a 162 game schedule but the players wanted their full 162 game checks instead of a more moderate 154 game schedule and now we have a compressed schedule so we are now seeing what that means….A DH on an off day.
I hope the arms stay ok and the Reds can get to the AS break without anymore injuries. The Mahle one stings.
lineups are out. no Senzel sighting. Tell me he’s not hurt again,
It’s a day/night DH. i would doubt anyone would play both games today at the same position after playing last night and then also play tomorrow.
@larry, hopefully he is just getting the first game off and will play tonight.
Anyone know what the reds record is when the have been leading after 7 th inning?
Someone needs to tell John Sadak to be quiet. He always says something to jinx us. Top of the 9th: Reds relievers haven’t given up a run in 7+ innings. Larkin says: let’s talk about this after the game.
+1000
Jinxes aren’t real.
16 of 30 Reds offensive outs were K’s.
Good grief.