Bullpen implosion dooms Reds in 9-3 loss to Dodgers

Raisel Iglesias. Michael Lorenzen. Archie Bradley. Amir Garrett. These are all veteran pitchers that the Cincinnati Reds have counted on in their bullpen and then either decided not to re-sign or traded away for minimum return in the last two years. When you count the injuries to guys like Lucas Sims and Tejay Antone, then it’s no surprise that the Reds’ bullpen has given up a combined 14 runs in their current 3-game losing streak. That number goes up to 17 if you count Luis Cessa’s 3 runs that he gave up as the opener. Either way, for the second time in the last three games, the Reds battled back and saw themselves in a tie game in the 8th inning or later, and for the second time in the last three games the bullpen allowed 6 runs to their opponent. We should probably get used to seeing this more and more.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

There were still a couple positives to come out of last night. After struggling in his first outing against Atlanta last week, Reiver Sanmartin really settled down and kept a tough Dodgers lineup at bay. After coming in in the second, already behind 3-0, he gave the Reds’ offense a chance by shutting out the Dodgers over 5 innings, allowing only 2 hits and no walks while striking out 2. Hopefully we continue to see this version of him as the season rolls along.

Honorable mentions are due to: Aristides Aquino, who broke an 0-7, 7 K stretch with a 2-run blast to left to get the Reds back in the game and Brandon Drury, who continues to smack the shit out of the ball and hit a solo dinger to tie the game.

Key Plays

• The Reds started playing from behind almost immediately. With 1 out in the bottom of the 1st, Freddie Freeman got things started with a single on a grounder to center and then moved to 3rd on a Trea Turner single. Justin Turner then came up and hit a line drive to center to score Freeman and then Max Muncy hit a grounder to right to score the first Turner to make it 2-0. A Will Smith infield single would bring in the second Turner and, mercifully, a double play would end the inning with the Dodgers up 3-0.
• Things stayed quiet for a few innings as Reiver Sanmartin and Dodgers’ starter Walker Buehler kept both offenses at bay. But the Reds finally broke through in the top of the 6th. Tyler Stephenson got things started by working a 2-out walk. That brought up Aristides Aquino, who drilled a pitch over the wall in left center to cut the lead to 3-2.
• The Reds were able to tie it up in the top of the 7th, as Brandon Drury came up with 2 outs and lifted a ball over the center field wall to tie it at 3-3.
• Unfortunately, the bullpen. Here’s the sequence of events that happened in the bottom of the 8th: Ground-rule double, RBI single, walk, strikeout, 3-run homer, single, single, stolen base, walk, RBI single, strikeout, strikeout. Dodgers win, 9-3.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Jonathan India left the game in the top of the 5th after seemingly injuring his hamstring while legging out an infield single. Initial reports are encouraging, but he’ll be reevaluated today so we should know more of a timeline later, I’m sure.
• This was the first time that David Bell has used an opener since becoming manager and, according to C. Trent Rosecrans, it might be the last time he uses it for a while.
• Aristides Aquino has really been struggling this season. Before his home run in the 6th, he had struck out in 7 straight plate appearances and 11 of his 15 PA’s on the season.
• Tunes.