KSReds: Cincinnati Reds Swept by Detroit Tigers

Inconsistency has been the most consistent part of this Cincinnati Reds season. There were real signs of life following a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium. With a 10-game home stand against teams with a combined 98-161 record on the horizon there was reason to believe that the ball club could go on a run into the All-Star break. However, those dreams were quickly dashed upon the Reds’ return to Great American Ball Park.

Fresh off of a sweep of the New York Yankees, Cincinnati was swept by the Detroit Tigers. Again, it has been a season full of inconsistency. The ugly weekend series culminated in a four-hit, 15-strikeout performance on Sunday. In theory, there is still some hope for this team. The Reds are still just five and a half games out of a playoff spot with seven winnable games on the horizon. However, time and time again they have proved incapable of delivering consistency. At 42-48, the 90-game sample size would tell you that the Cincinnati Reds are not a playoff team.

Andrew Abbott will look to right the ship on Monday night with a 7:10 p.m. Eastern Time first pitch. The Colorado Rockies, tied for the second worst record in baseball, come to GABP for four games. Frankie Montas, Carson Spiers, and Hunter Greene are also scheduled to start. Then, the Reds welcome the Miami Marlins for a weekend series prior to the All-Star break. The goal had been to go 7-3 on the 10-game home stand. Now, accomplishing that goal will require a seven game winning streak.

Reds Fall in Return to Great American Ball Park

After belting seven home runs in three games at Yankee Stadium, the Cincinnati Reds experienced a cooling off upon their return to Great American Ball Park. Detroit Tigers’ starter Reece Olson kept the bats at bay to record just his third win of the season. The 24-year old allowed one earned run on three hits in five and two-thirds innings. Overall, the Reds managed seven hits falling 5-4 to begin their 10-game home stand.

Bottom of the ninth heroics nearly brought the Reds back, but the early hole they dug proved too deep. Parker Meadows got the Tigers on the board first with a solo home run in the third inning. Colt Keith added a solo shot of his own in the frame to make it a 2-0 game. Then, the 22-year old rookie from Zanesville, Ohio, connected on a two-run home run in the fifth giving Detroit a 4-0 advantage.

In bottom half of the fifth Cincinnati finally got on the board with a solo home run by Spencer Steer. Jonathan India then scored on a throwing error to make it 4-2 in the sixth, but Riley Greene hit the Tigers’ fourth home run of the game for what proved to be a very necessary insurance run. Detroit would go on to enter the bottom of the ninth inning with a 5-2 lead.

Elly De La Cruz led off the final frame with an infield single before promptly stealing second base. Then, after advancing to third on a balk, De La Cruz scored on an infield single from Spencer Steer. Nick Martini then lined one down the right field line for a triple making it a 5-4 game with the game-tying run just 90 feet away with one out. However, pinch-runner Blake Dunn was thrown out at home on a Tyler Stephenson ground ball to third base to keep it at 5-4. Ultimately, Santiago Espinal flew out to centerfield to end the comeback bid. The Detroit Tigers took game one of the Reds’ return to Great American Ball Park.

Bullpen Blows Late Lead in Excruciating Fashion

You can’t ask for much more than what Hunter Greene gave the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night. The 24-year old pitched seven shutout innings allowing just three hits while striking out seven. However, it was still only a 2-0 game when he exited. Both of those runs came on a two RBI double by Tyler Stephenson in the fifth inning. Otherwise, the Reds were mostly flummoxed by the Detroit Tigers’ combined bullpen game. Six Tigers’ pitchers would combine to allow only six hits while striking out 13 in the matchup.

After Greene exited, David Bell turned to Fernando Cruz in the eighth inning. After retiring the first batter he faced, Cruz allowed a double to Parker Meadows followed by a game-tying home run from pinch-hitter Wenceel Perez. Then, the wheels really started to fall off for the Cincinnati bullpen

Cruz was pulled from the game after walking his next batter. Sam Moll came in and promptly walked his first batter before a double from Mark Canha gave Detroit a 3-2 lead. Following an RBI groundout making it 4-2, Lucas Sims was brought in and allowed another RBI double that brought the Tigers’ lead to 5-2. It took the Cincinnati Reds bullpen three pitchers and nearly 60 pitches to get out of the dreadful five-run eighth inning. Spencer Steer hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth and the tying run got to the plate, but the Reds would ultimately fall 5-3.

Reds Swept to Begin Home Stand

Baseball can be such a weird, frustrating game. Just days after sweeping the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, the Cincinnati Reds were swept at home by the Detroit Tigers. Just as soon as this team gives you hope, they do something to rip it away. Inconsistency and disappointment have been themes throughout the season. Now, with seven more games at Great American Ball Park before the All-Star break, the Reds are trending in the wrong direction.

The Detroit Tigers don’t have much to hand their hat on this season. However, they do boast one of the best pitchers in baseball. Tarik Skubal certainly delivered on Sunday afternoon dominating the Reds across seven innings. The left-hander allowed just three hits, one run, and struck out 13 batters. His marvelous start moved him to 10-3 on the season with a 2.37 ERA.

Detroit got themselves on the board in the fourth with a Zach McKinstry RBI single. Then, Colt Keith delivered a RBI single of his own in the seventh inning making it 2-0. Noelvi Marte finally got the Reds on the board in the bottom half of the frame, but his RBI groundout is all they could muster at the plate. McKinstry tacked on some insurance in the eighth with a two-run home run and Parker Meadows added a run scoring single as well. Ultimately, the Tigers completed the three-game sweep with a 5-1 victory.