Brad Keller stymies Reds in 4-0 Royals victory

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Jesse Winker walked thrice, and Tejay Antone looked good when given a chance once again.

Thus endeth anything related to the Cincinnati Reds worth reading about from this game.

Key Plays

• Luis Castillo got a soft grounder to shortstop Freddy Galvis off the bat of Whit Merrifield to begin the Bottom of the 1st, but Joey Votto promptly dropped the throw. Said error burned after a walk and a Jorge Soler RBI double, while Ryan O’Hearn later doinked a 2-run single into RF as part of an ugly 35 pitch opening from for Luis. Reds trailed early, 3-0.
• Adalberto Mondesi singled off the body of Votto in the Bottom of the 4th, and after he swiped 2B, that ended Castillo’s day. Tejay Antone was summoned, and after he spiked a wild pitch into the dirt to let Mondesi move up a bag, Mondesi scored when Merrifield hit a ball right through a drawn-in Josh VanMeter at 2B. Reds trailed, 4-0.
• That was it, however, as Kansas City Royals starter Brad Keller simply breezed through the Reds lineup for most of the day, tossing 6.2 innings of scoreless, 3-hit ball. Reds lost, 4-0, in brutal absentia.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Luis Castillo was not helped much by his defense, but was also pretty bad himself. He exited in the 4th inning with an out recorded and runner on 2B (that scored) after 89 laboring pitches. His final line: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 5 K.
• Prior to the start of play today, the Reds placed Nick Senzel on the Injured List with no designation for why, so read into that what you will after ‘one’ player tested positive last Friday and the club sat sidelined for four days. Mike Moustakas (1 for 3) was activated to take his spot on the roster, and started at DH.
• Trevor Bauer is going to start for the Reds here in a minute in the second game of the doubleheader. He’ll be opposed by former Red Matt Harvey.
• Tunes.