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Cincinnati Reds bullpen shows off its excellence in comeback win over Phillies

Credit where credit is due, of course.

By Wick Terrell
/ new
Chicago Cubs v Cincinnati Reds Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Less than a day removed from an epic bullpen meltdown and without the availability of their closer on Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds bullpen shut down the mighty Philadelphia Phillies offense and let their own batsmen do some serious climbing in a dramatic 6-4 comeback victory.

Starter Connor Overton was hit hard again, yielding 4 ER in 4.0 IP, but the Reds leaned on the combo of Fernando Cruz (2.0 IP), Kevin Herget (2.0 IP), and Ian Gibaut (1.0 IP, S) for 5.0 shutout innings, that combo walking nary a Phil and allowing just a lone hit while fanning 5. Quite the turnaround from what we saw yesterday, of course, as well as for the better part of the last [/insert number of awful years of Reds bullpen work].

In the end, the late zeroes posted by the relief corps allowed the Reds to dig out of what had been a 4-2 deficit prior to the Top of the 8th inning. Wil Myers walked that inning to inch the Reds a little closer, as he was subsequently able to score all the way from 1B on a double dumped into the RF corner by Jason Vosler.

The Top of the 9th saw the Reds rally right past Philadelphia, however. Stuart Fairchild began things with a walk and a swipe of 2B, while Jonathan India followed with a walk of his own. An infield single from noted infield singler TJ Friedl then followed to load the bags, all of which were then emptied on a double dumped back into the RF corner by Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game Jake Fraley.

From there, Gibaut slammed the door, and the Reds salvaged a game from their first road series with a 6-4 win.

Tony Graphanino

[Link to interactive FanGraphs WPA chart and box score]

Other Notes

  • Overton’s struggles continued, his final line being 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K on 65 pitches.
  • Fraley added a pair of walks for the day.
  • The schedule does the Reds no favors after this series, as they’re off to Atlanta to face the Braves for the next three days. Monday’s game is slated for a 7:20 PM ET beginning, with Graham Ashcraft on the bump for Cincinnati opposite the mysterious TBD of Atlanta.
  • Tunes.

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