Things started out poorly for the Cincinnati Reds and they didn’t get any better on Thursday night as Seattle pounded out 17 runs on 17 hits in the Mariners 17-6 victory.
| Final |
R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Mariners (13-10-2) |
17 | 17 | 1 |
| Cincinnati Reds (13-11-1) | 6 | 12 | 1 |
| W: Flexen L: Williamson |
|||
| Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Highlights
To say that it was a tough night for starter Brandon Williamson would be putting it nicely. The left-handed started allowed nine runs in 2.2 innings while giving up eight hits – two of which were home runs – and three walks. Manuel Cachutt entered the game in the 3rd inning to relieve him and gave up a home run of his own – a 2-run shot – that made it 11-0 for Seattle before Cincinnati had a chance to blink.
In the bottom of the 3rd Jose Barrero led off with a double and came around to score on a Joey Votto single. Votto then scored on a ground out to get the Reds within nine runs.
The top of the 4th saw Manuel Cachutt return and he started things out by hitting a batter and walking the next one. The minor leaguer got a double play, but then things went the wrong way as he gave up an RBI single, an RBI triple, and a 2-run homer off of the bat of Julio Rodriguez as the Mariners extended their lead to 15-2. They would add another run in the 5th when former Red Eugenio Suarez led off the inning with a home run.
In the bottom of the 5th inning Cincinnati got some of those runs back. Joey Votto led off with a walk and moved up to second base on a single by Jake Fraley and then he scored on a throwing error. The Reds got another run on a ground out, and added a final run in the inning on a Henry Ramos single that made it 16-5.
Seattle went right back to work in the next inning with a little help from new pitcher Bennett Sousa. Jose Caballero singled on a grounder to Sousa and then moved up to second when Sousa threw the ball away. A wild pitch followed to move Caballero to third and he’d later score on a ground out that made it 17-5.
The Reds got a run in bottom of the 6th after singles by Jonathan India and Tyler Stephenson book-ended a walk from Joey Votto to load the bases. India scored on a ground out to make it 17-6.
Joel Kuhnel took over in the top of the 7th and picked up a strikeout in a scoreless inning of work. Zack Brown followed with a perfect inning with three strikeouts. In the bottom of the 8th the Reds would load the bases with one out, but a double play ended the inning and stopped the potential rally dead in it’s tracks. Pedro Garcia followed that with a perfect 9th inning where he struck out the side, giving the Reds one more chance to score 11 runs to tie the game up. They didn’t, going down in order.
Tyler Stephenson finished the day by going 3-4. Jonathan India went 2-4 with a double. Joey Votto went 1-2 with two walks. Henry Ramos went 2-5 with an RBI.
Friday’s Game
The Reds switch things up after hosting a few night games and hit the road on Friday for an afternoon game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is set for 4:10pm ET with Hunter Greene expected to get the start.
Well it was good games for three starters at least (India, Stephenson, and Votto). Barrero also had a double and a walk. There’s a whole lot of things David Bell does that I don’t particularly like but the fact that he’s playing the “regulars” more this Spring to get them ready is wise in my view. Especially after the kind of slow starts the Reds have had in other years of his managing.
Starters played well with an emphasis on returning starters from season ending injuries. I am excited to see how we start this year with a basically healthy roster and players like Stephenson who is due to break out.
Concerned with Williamson’s outing.
Does he have an undiagnosed injury?
Ouch Williamson may have just sent himself to AAA.
Yeah…I hate to be so reactionary to ST games/results, but it’s hard to imagine Williamson helped himself here. The stats were already a bit iffy to begin with and he completely imploded last night. Not what you want to see when the pressure is on. Not sure who the Reds turn to…but I don’t feel confident Williamson is ready.
As a side note, is there any question that Ramos has outplayed any of the other remaining NRI’s?
If you’re still on the Williamson bandwagon, I don’t know what to tell you
Young pitchers will have bad outings
No he may not have won the spot out of spring training this year but the sky is not falling
When he doesn’t walk the entire lineup, he gets hit by it. And being 25 in a few weeks is not young for a P that can’t reach the bigs. My hopes have long since moved to guys like Petty, Abbott, Phillips and Stoudt
It is spring training. They start to count next week.
@Mike He is still a young pitcher. He played college ball, drafted in 2019. Didn’t pitch in 2020 as minor league season was canceled. As mentioned he is still young no big deal.
The fourth and fifth spots in the rotation are SCARY.
Is # 4 and 5 starting pitcher in any season ever that secure?
It should be a little more secure when your top 3 are still so young. I really wish we had brought in one reliable veteran.
Mariners number 4 is George Kirby. 5 is Flexon or Marco Gonzales. Flexon may be for sale…
Williamson is just a matter of going to AAA to work on and get confidence in order to view the midseason as a possible target to being called up. He has the stuff , at least, doesn’t he?
Look forward to seeing him pitch when we visit Louisville this season.
I think the Seattle mariners – a high quality playoff team – would say no, he doesn’t.
Mariners would say, all pitchers have bad days… be patient guys.
I was hoping Williamson would finish the spring strong and outcompete his pitching peers and win the 4th spot. Unfortunately, he didnt do that. But, he still gets to write his own script and work on his command and control at AAA. Still a very talented lefty who is in the mix later this spring WHEN, not if, the Reds need a SP.
Williamson’s main problem is that he is either walking people or grooving strikes. He hasn’t yet developed the command to work the zone in locations that aren’t hit as hard. When he tries, he misses the plate. I don’t know if he’ll get it down, but I’m not about to give up hope, because if he does figure that out, his stuff will play. And many times, that is more about confidence in your stuff than anything, and a willingness to take a little off a pitch in favor of location and trust that your stuff is good enough to get batters out. And his is. That type of adjustment can happen overnight. So there’s still hope.
Yep, but the place to learn command and control is AAA or even AA. Reds don’t need yet another Cody Reed type crash and burn which is where Williamson is headed for the same reason if he doesn’t master command and control.
Williamson has made only 13 AAA starts and another 14 at AA. Given his age, walk rate (6.2/9) and BABIP (.302) at AAA, in a more normal situation than the Reds, he probably wouldn’t even be getting a real look at MLB until he did at least another dozen AAA starts.
Yeah, I don’t see him as a ML starter today. He definitely needs some work in AAA.
Well put, Luke.
Was Senzel scheduled to only have 1 plate appearance.
My thinking as well.
The world wonders (just for other WW2 buffs still alive and kicking) 😉
Reds could have but didn’t sign a vet or two to fill out the rotation and add some depth but if I remember last year they acquired in a trade for Garrett a guy just like that and his 10 mil salary.Young guys ALL have bad outings on the mound and at the plate.Just let it play out this year and lets see what happens.Of course starters have to get to the 5th or so and keep the team in the game less the pen will be exposed but lets just see.
If this is Williams’ sincere effort to secure a rotation spot, then yipes. It may not be. He may have additional instruction, it’s spring training afterall.
We need a competent 4th and 5th starter. The reds play 20 straight days in the middle of April…..mainly vs. the Braves and Phillies no less…….no skipping turns to hide a rotation weakness.
I’d still go with Williamson for a couple starts (Weaver projected return date) and reevaluate. Sometimes teams don’t have good scouting reports this early and a no-name SP can ambush a lineup. And hey, some pitchers are completely different back in the more humid Midwest air.
These couple starts won’t make or break the Reds April. Beating up on the Pirates, As, and Cubs and treading water vs. the Braves, Phillies, and Rays will be crucial.
Bring back Milton! (The goat, not Eric)
At least we scored 2 field goals!
Or maybe missed a PAT????
Only if Williamson was kicking!
I wonder how much playing his old organization messed with him? It was a devastating outing, but he’ll get another shot to make the team this year.
That was my thought, too. I think it was shrewd to have Williamson start against his former organization. One of the most important lessons young players must learn is keeping their emotions/adrenaline in check. His pitch quality is above MLB average and will carry him as far as his command/control allows. There is a fine line between using adrenaline to bring improved focus and allowing it to result in overthrowing.
Hopefully, this meaningless Spring Training outing translates into improved performance when Williamson makes his major league debut.
I would still give Williamson the ball, you got the big 3, two spots left, overton has looked bad, cessa isn’t close to starting games imo, Weavers hurt. Let williamson learn with lodolo, Lodolo will menter his old friend, I am just saying with derek Johnson and Lodolo maybe he takes the next step forward. He had all last year to improve. He gots the stuff, but he needs to just be given the opportunity and adjust with new help.
Reminds me of another “crown jewel” LH starting pitcher received in a trade with control issues and a tendency to get rocked when he was in the zone. Later, moved to the bullpen and ultimately became a sad Reds story line to losing a fan favorite workhorse in Johnny Cueto.
I wonder whatever happened to Cody Reed? And, I hope Williamson doesn’t follow the same Reds trajectory. But, if our SP are going to get rocked, I’m supportive of younger guys with some potential than the expensive retreads.
I was thinking of Reed myself, whose problems seemed to be between the ears.
He showed promise off and on, but could never string it together. Then some odd injuries set in.
I hope the Reds can provide more guidance and assistance to help Williamson develop.
Out of the three lefties coming in for Jonny Beisbol you would have thought one would have thrived but for some brief production from Finnegan it was all a disappointing washout.
Not sure how much better coaching would have helped. Lamb wasn’t very good, Reed a headcase and Finnegan seemed to squander his gifts.
Williamson has shown some improvement this spring. He got pummeled last night. If this was the regular season he would have been pulled in the second and the damage would have been limited.
Kachoo and No-Wynne-Situation would never have been in there, and who knows, the game might have turned out differently.
Those writing off Williamson at this point are just being Red’s fans.