The Chicago White Sox treated the Cincinnati Reds like they were a bunch of disco records and it was disco demolition night. The American League Central team punished Reds pitching early and often, scoring 11 runs in the 2nd inning and never looking back in a 17-4 win to pick up the series win.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox (12-23) | 17 | 18 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (14-20) | 4 | 10 | 1 |
| W: Kopech (1-3) L: Ashcraft (2-1) | |||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Reds wasted no time in getting on the board as Jonathan India homered to lead off the bottom of the 1st inning to put the home team up 1-0. That lead didn’t last all that long. Graham Ashcraft walked Luis Robert Jr. to begin the 2nd inning and then Hanser Alberto, who had one home run entering the series, hit his second home run against the Reds in the last 24 hours to put the White Sox up 2-1.
Things didn’t get much better from there as Chicago put together another rally with Andrew Benintendi hitting a 2-run single that made it 4-1 and then Andrew Vaughn followed up with a 2-run triple to extend it to a 6-1 lead. To add insult to injury, Luis Robert Jr. then hit a comebacker off of Ashcraft to bring in another run and that would be the final play of the day for Ashcraft (who appeared fine after the ball hit him) as he was replaced by Casey Legumina.
The pitching change didn’t seem to make things any better. Legumina walked the first batter he saw, gave up an RBI single to Grandal, and then a 3-run home run to Gavin Sheets as the White Sox capped off an 11-run 2nd inning.
Chicago added three more runs on back-to-back-to-back doubles that followed an error by Spencer Steer that would have ended the inning. Trailing 14-1, the Reds offense got things going in the bottom of the 3rd. Spencer Steer made up for his error a little bit, hitting his team leading 4th home run of the year. Tyler Stephenson followed up with a solo home run of his own – his 1st of the season – to make it 14-3. Wil Myers got in on the Reds solo home run parade in the bottom of the 4th inning to make it a 10-run deficit.
The White Sox didn’t seem to appreciate the comeback efforts from the Reds and went to work again in the top of the 5th inning. Tim Anderson singled to lead off against Reiver Sanmartin and Andrew Benintendi followed up with a double to put two men in scoring position. A sacrifice fly made it 15-4. After a walk, Hanser Alberto picked up another extra-base hit and another run batted in with a double to make it 16.4 During the next at-bat something happened during a pitch and the trainer along with manager David Bell headed out to the mound and after a very short conversation, Sanmartin exited the game with an injury and Alex Young came out of the bullpen. He would get a ground out, but it plated the 17th run of the day.
Chicago made an attempt at an 18th run in the top of the 6th inning when Seby Zavala hit one that would have landed in the first row of season in right field, but Wil Myers reached over the wall and pulled it back in for the second out of the inning. Neither team scored from that point forward, and Luke Maile pitched a shutout top of the 9th for the Reds.
Key Moment of the Game
Whatever the 2nd inning was.
Notes Worth Noting
Spencer Steer fell a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-5 on the day.
The 2nd inning today was the most runs allowed by the Reds in an inning since 4/13/2003 vs the Phillies (13 runs).
— Joel Luckhaupt (@jluckhaupt) May 7, 2023
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
New York Mets vs Cincinnati Reds
Tuesday May 9th, 6:40pm ET
Max Scherzer (2-2, 5.56 ERA) vs Luke Weaver (0-2, 7.88 ERA)
Mama always said there’d be days like this.
This was my first in-person Reds game this year. I know how to pick ‘em!
Highlight was seeing Myers rob that homerun up close and personal.
Were you the old dude who flinched in his seat but didn’t bother to even move?!??
?
Would have been cool to be close to there, no doubt
Middle question mark was supposed to be a winky!
Thanks for informing us.
Ha, no not that guy.
We were down the right field side first row.
That must have been the fastest 17-4 in recent history.
At least you got to see a lot of action. 🙂
I would have fun seeing Luke Maile pitch the last inning and having an ERA of 4.50 many of our pitchers would like at this point!
Yeah 🙂
Yep, I was there with my wife and three kids. Between the action and weather, I was surprised how much we enjoyed ourselves for a 17-4 game (minus the 2nd inning).
It’s still baseball in good summer like weather in America. 🙂 Glad you had a good time.
Ha, no not that guy.
We were down the right field side first row.
That must have been the fastest 17-4 in recent history.
Sonny Gray 4-0, 1.35
DeSclafani. 3-1, 2.13
Miley. 3-1, 2.31
Castillo. 2-1, 2.38
All pitchers the Reds dumped in the last couple of years. Those prospects better pay off well. And isn’t it time to recognize that DJ isn’t the answer, anymore than Bell is? Krall, step to the plate and cleanup this mess.
Your information is a little off as only disco struggled. Miley, Castillo, and Gray did well here. The bullpen has turned around this year with mostly the same guys. The 3 second year pitchers will be fine.
Remember you as others wanted those veterans gone. Now posting their Era and records. Interesting.
14-20 Reds are closer than we think
So true, many say the veterans are too old, and when a young guy has two good weeks in Chattanooga, they must be in the big leagues yesterday!
Days like this are hard to take, but frankly, Ashcraft got bombed early and there was not much of a chance at a comeback.
Graham has largely pitched well, but what happened today (???) is anyone’s guess. Velocity off, location off, White Sox locked in…whatever.
Will the Reds be ok? Well, maybe. Someday. We all hope.
The loss today was just one of those things, but it makes the loss on Friday night (which was a winnable game) seem more bitter.
Agreed! No reason to panic yet! Reds are only 5 games back in the loss column in the NL Central. And, though it’s early, only 4 games back in Wild Card standings!
That’s true Kevin, but the Reds dumped them for change. Maybe some of the prospects make it, maybe they don’t. But even so, they are likely the 2nd wave of “competitiveness”, not the concurrent with EDLC, CES, and company. Frankly, the Reds minor league pitching, excepting perhaps Abbott seems a ways off.
The M.O. with DJ is early success with pitchers, followed by regression, then they leave and find their groove again. (not 100% of course, but a trend does exist).
He needs to turn these 3 young guns around, and realize their potential, because obviously there is arm talent. Or he can exit when Mr. Bell goes.
Gray resurrected his career when he came to Cincy. Castillo was a prospect when he arrived and one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the game when he left. Of course prospects aren’t sure things until they are, but given ownership’s stated resolve to not spend money, acquiring prospects instead of paying veterans was a rational decision. The prospects appear to have promise, and even vets aren’t sure things: injury and age-related decline always lurk.
@GreenMTred, Gray & Miley were in their 30s. Castillo wasn’t and was easily signable.
Signable for much more than the Reds were willing to pay. I wish they had, too: he would immediately transform the pitching staff.
Only positives today is that no one died during the ChiSox pummeling of the Reds and the Pirates lost! Reds still only 5 games in the loss column out of 1st in the NL Central
Also, the Reds hit four–four!–homers.
Glad I decided to go morel mushroom hunting this evening instead of watching the Reds. Found some nice mushrooms and didn’t witness a second of the massacre. That’s what you call a win- win.
It is. So long as they were the right mushrooms.
Touki Toussaint has a 2.01 era for AAA Columbus which is the farm team for Cleveland. He’s still only 26 and a former 1st rounder. Put something together for him. You string together 3 deals like that and you’ll probably find the pitching equivalent of Brandon Drury. Makes more sense then to pay somebody like Mike Minor big $ because they were decent 4 years ago
I am fine with a terrible L once in awhile.
I hate having Newman, Myers in this lineup.
I am giving up on barrero he may be athletic but he has to hit 250 with 15 bombs to be considered even worth having him as a SS.
Bold prediction Trade, Senzel, myers, barrero, Newman, weaver and get what you can get….just get young high upside kids age 18-22.
Why free up room we got Elly, CES, McLain, Hopkins pretty much MLB ready. Abbot is ready. So here is my lineup and free agent hopes for 2024
1. 2B McLain (India 2.0 with defense)
2. CF friediel (no explanation needed)
3. SS elly (fast, powerful acuna/O’Neill comp)
4. DH/1B CES (Smashes balls)
5. RF Jake Fraley (displined good hitter)
6. 3B Steer (possible switch position with McLain or Elly 3b steer 2b and McLain SS…)
7. DH/1B Votto/McGarry/Cody Bellinger
8. LF Fairchild or Hopkins, or I would go with Bader or Belly in F/A
9. Stephonson/Casali
1. F/A Urias OR Ohtani in my dreams (ohtani DH obv)
2. Greene
3. Lodolo
4. Ashcraft
5. Abbott
Bullpen lead by Diaz, sims, young, maybe Antone
I would want to keep India but I think his only legit position could be LF if you want a stable win culture you need to trade valuable veterans (McLain being the better choice) that can net prospects to fill future holes. McLain has more speed power and defense.
Ohtani may be unrealistic but in my opinion he would solve 2 holes in our team give us an ace and a legite DH bat with power and speed. In that case he would bat 3-5 in the lineup
So…add
1. A SP Urias, Ohtani, gray, Mahle, a veteran ace
2. A power OF Bader or belli
3. 2-3 reliever depth (hader?!)
… Bold prediction trade Senzel, Myers, Barrero, Newman, Weaver and get what you can get … just get young high upside kids age 18-22 ,,,
Not one of those players would bring back young, high upside kids age 18-22. None of them would.
Reds lose a series at home to a team worse than them. All 3 SPs struggle. Not ideal.
A great game, from my perspective. Usually the highlights only stir one or two chuckles. This time I had a few full-on belly laughs.
The team looked like it was sleepwalking through the last few innings. I half-expected the camera to capture footage of the right fielder picking dandelions. My softball team had more fight in it when we were down 28-6 and playing for nothing but pride!
This team is bad. Very bad. But they can still be entertaining, if you look at the games as a farce. Put them in clown shoes instead of cleats. Put an end to walk-up music and instead play a different laugh track for each player. Also, a new rule for Bob Castellini: he can only appear in public if dressed like a hobo clown. (He’s always crying poverty, so he should be required to look the part.) MLB should force the Reds organization to make it clear that they’re only competing *ironically*.
I notice you don’t come around when Reds win. They are 14-20. And doing better than last year. They have a improved bullpen and young talent.
When the Reds win they’re not very funny. That’s why I don’t show up after a win. They’re less entertaining when they win.
In fact, when they win, it’s almost *cruel* because they incite a little hope in fans who haven’t realized the futility of rooting for a team mired in terrible ownership.
I once believed there was hope, too. Then I got wise. I’m no longer a mark for the Castellini confidence game. Rooting for them to win was a drag. This is a lot more fun.
Whatever makes her happy, Kevin. A foul-weather fan?
Sounds like a long-time Mets fan.
Have you watched the Reds the past few seasons? Not only are they not “very bad”, they’re now up to intermittently bad. Any idea what a “rebuild” entails if a team won’t spend for FA (Mets fans would have no idea)? What will you say when the callups arrive and struggle to finish out the season? What if Barrero and Stephenson heat up as they recover from injuries, just as the prospects arrive and make fundamentally bad plays?
They’re on the same pace as last season, with much younger players, or younger players recovering from injury. If they get to September on the same pace, but with most everyone recovered, and the prospects all called up, they’ll be very well set for next season – it’s about the highest expectations available.
Meanwhile let’s see if the rest of the division does some stupid things – dumb moves to win now, hasty trades of prospects or struggling veterans, sticking with unproven or clearly faltering talent too long?
The team(s) I watched in person Friday and Saturday night was (were) decent. Some timely hitting, some great defensive plays, good results from the bullpen. Sox had better results from their starters.
The Reds are improved from last year, just like the 1983 Reds were better than the 1982 team.
These games happen to all teams. Turn the page.
Yes, turn the page – even Gerrit Cole – prob the best pitcher in baseball lost a 6 run lead to TB today. No calls from Yankees fans to DFA him. Ashcraft will be fine. Health is the most important stat with our big 3.
With all due respect we’ve been turning the page for a couple of decades now. My adult children have never seen a truly good Reds team.
2010 2012, 2013, 2020, 2021. Winning seasons for the reds and a few playoff appearances. Minus 2021
With all due respect we’ve been turning the page for a couple of decades now.
Oof. Let’s get back on track Tuesday.
The Mets (with baseball’s wealthiest owner) are not off to a good start similar to the Reds. It should be an evenly matched series. Then off to Miami and Denver where they might pick up some ground in the NLC. Then back home for 3 with the Yankees and 4 with the Cardinals. Crowds should increase for those games.
I didn’t watch the game but I was very surprised to see the box score and Ashcraft’s line. He is the 1 pitcher we seem to be able to count on for minimum of 5 innings. I hate to lay the loss at Tyler’s feet but his catching doesn’t seem to give these young pitchers confidence. Cardinals just made a decision to move their non-defense catcher off the catcher position. Bold move by a winning organization.
Bullpen finally gave in after having to cover so many innings the last week. The starters must start going deeper in these games.
Offensively, 4 home runs look impressive. But if you look closer, most of the lineup put up zeros and was not on base (1 BB) so those home runs weren’t very impactful. Hottest player (Friedl) pulled after 2 at bats???
With Hunter, Lodolo and Ashcraft under-performing and some of our best pitching prospects struggling (Williamson, Stoudt, Philips), DJ may find himself fired along with Bell this year if things don’t start improving in the pitching department.
Let’s hope so.
5 quality starts for Graham Ashcraft in 7 games. He looked like an all star and a possible Cy Young candidate before this game – and he is underperforming? Greene has a 3.74 ERA. Can’t go off wins and losses anymore.
Some people on RLN are not fans of this team and I think they must enjoy trolling the real fans.
Not a matter of trolling at all. The Reds have a losing record. They aren’t likely to make the playoffs anytime soon. Wins and losses mostly don’t matter because someone bought into the myth of 3rd time around the sky falls. Those of us old enough to remember when the Reds won consistently aren’t thrilled when the Reds simply lose a bit less often. How many times do they have to lose before everyone admits they stink?
Agree 100% an some still live off “the big red machine ”
The 90 team was better, however probably shouldn’t say that on here. LOL
You should check out pitcher’s batting average against the third time through compared to first two times. Every team in the game is aware of this and the average number of innings per start league-wide is under six and has been for years. It certainly makes intuitive sense as well.
Mario…”can’t go off wins and losses anymore.” Really? That comment is unbelievable! You play each game to win (and if you’re not playing to win you need to find a new job). All these “made up stats” that are analytics mean NOTHING. Trying to win each game is the only thing that matters!!
I think that he was referring to win-loss records for pitchers, not teams, and those mean little for pitchers unless there’s context (did he get a loss because of sloppy defense? No run support? Did he not get a win because the pen blew the game?
I think tomorrow would be a great day to call up McClain and CES. Might take everyone’s mind off the butt kicking they got today.
I would like to see that. Great screen name BTW
I really have been thinking about why they don’t have them up? But my assumption is it overcrowds everything. I mean essentially McLain will share at bats with barrero and Newman. Senzel is getting a loooong look at 3b so if he is brought up that’s over…
I think while it’s clear they will PERFORM better, it seems it won’t happen till the trade deadline. But again CES is mashing balls and McLain looks like a true 5 tool player rn which is exiting.
My HOPE is India becomes all star, trade India, Senzel, Newman, myers. (India is a leader that has boras as his agent so we aren’t extending him. McLain is better defensively much better. SS is Elly 3b steer, 1B CES
I love India but his trade value will be high, can we convert this for a high SP prospect or High OF prospect…personally thinking of trade if with the dodgers
India, Senzel, Young or some throw in prospect
For Bobby miller and Andy pages.
Or target Perez of the marlins, have no idea if marlins would need a 2b type guy, or be wild card bown
I guess I picked a great day to be unavailable to watch … 😮
Seriously, we were visiting my 94-year-old mother-in-law this afternoon (the reason we’re traveling in the first place). My time zone sense is still messed up, so when I realized the game was in progress and did a quick check, I saw (and showed my wife) the 5th inning score. Complete shock and awe … plus some internal cursing.
Had to figure Ashcraft would have a bad day, but this was beyond just bad. I believe the use of the word “crush” is the right selection by Our Fearless Leader, Doug. I guess this is one to wipe off the books and purge from the memory banks.
I was at the game today too. Weird game. Ash craft just couldn’t find the strike zone after the 1st inning. Velocity was good he was just not sharp and had some bad luck too. 2nd inning was just one of those things that happen once in a while. Four solo homers as the only scoring, Luke Maile pitching better than all the others? A blown rundown play by the Sox? Just a strange game
My apologies to Nick Senzel for picking him up on my fantasy team.
2-18 since the pickup.
I’ll do everybody a favor and release him immediately, so he can go back to hitting.
Smoke and mirrors…he’s played good D though at 3B!
Brutal off the rails by Ashcraft. And not fun a lot of times when Cincy natives show up like Happ & Benintendi – ha.
Wow….Ashcraft lost 0.9 WAR on Baseball Reference with that one game going from 2.1 to 1.2 overnight. I am assuming -1.0 WAR is the most possible you could lose in one game?
Good to see Stephenson finally hit a HR but I’m still convinced the move out of full time catcher has hurt his confidence and offense as now he feels the pressure to hit and contribute. You get a massive bump in WAR run adjustment as a Catcher and a massive deduction as a DH. Same thing happened to Senzel IMO when the Reds decided to make him a CFer. Put a lot of unnecessary pressure on him….geniuses running the Reds.
C: +9 runs
SS: +7 runs
2B: +3 runs
CF: +2.5 runs
3B: +2 runs
RF: -7 runs
LF: -7 runs
1B: -9.5 runs
DH: -15 runs