Redleg Nation - A Cincinnati Reds Experience (OOTP 22)

[jasontoddwhitt]

Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers
Jun 14, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (32-34)	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	3	1
Milwaukee (33-33)	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	8	0
W: Luis Castillo (3-6) L: Josh Lindblom (0-3) S: Lucas Sims (16)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	MIL
MIL	3	Jace Peterson doubles (11) to right. Orlando Arcia scores.	0	1
CIN	7	Mike Freeman scores on a wild pitch by Josh Lindblom.	1	1
CIN	7	Tucker Barnhart doubles (11) to right. Joey Votto scores. Nick Castellanos scores.	3	1
MIL	8	Omar Narvaez singles to right. Jace Peterson scores.	3	2

Reds get 3-2 win on the road

The Cincinnati Reds were able to overcome a masterful pitching performance by Brewers starter Josh Lindblom to nab a 3-2 victory on the road at American Family Field.

It took the Reds seven innings to finally get into the hit column, as Lindblom was easily having his best start since being called up last month. However, that hit by Jesse Winker seemed to unsettle Lindblom as he walked Joey Votto and Nick Castellanos to load up the bases with nobody out.

Lindblom was able to strike out Mike Moustakas but gave up the tying run after uncorking a wild pitch to Nick Senzel. After Lindblom forced Senzel to ground out, he was pulled from the game for reliever Brent Suter. Tucker Barnhart took Suter's 1-0 pitch down the right field line to clear the bases and give the Reds a 3-1 lead.

Reds' starter Luis Castillo was able to work around seven hits by the Brewers, only allowing two of those base runners to score. Castillo didn't exactly have his best stuff but was able to work himself out of a few jams.

Lucas Sims pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to lock down his 16th save in 17 opportunities.

Notable Performances
Josh Lindblom (MIL) -- 6.2 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Luis Castillo (CIN) -- 7.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Jace Peterson (MIL) -- 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI R

Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers
Jun 15, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (32-35)	0	2	0	1	2	0	0	1	0	6	8	0
Milwaukee (34-33)	2	0	3	0	1	0	1	0	X	7	12	0
W: Brad Peacock (3-1) L: Sean Doolittle (1-1) S: Hoby Milner (3)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	MIL
MIL	1	Kolten Wong homers (7) to left.	0	1
MIL	1	Omar Narvaez flies out to center. Lorenzo Cain scores.	0	2
CIN	2	Tucker Barnhart homers (7) to right-center. Joey Votto scores.	2	2
MIL	3	Christian Yelich singles to right. Kolten Wong scores.	2	3
MIL	3	Omar Narvaez singles to left. Lorenzo Cain scores. Christian Yelich scores.	2	5
CIN	4	Aristides Aquino flies out to center. Joey Votto scores.	3	5
CIN	5	Mike Freeman doubles (1) down left field line. Nick Senzel scores.	4	5
CIN	5	Mike Freeman scores on Freddy Peralta wild pitch.	5	5
MIL	5	Luis Urias grounds into fielder's choice at second. Yuli Gurriel scores.	5	6
MIL	7	Christian Yelich homers (10) to right.	5	7
CIN	8	Nick Castellanos homers (14) to center.	6	7

Reds fall short in Milwaukee 7-6

The Reds showed a lot of fight in tonight's matchup, battling back to tie the game on two separate occasions. Unfortunately, the Brewers kept coming up with timely hits as they hung on to a 7-6 victory.

Both starters did not have great nights, with both not making it out of the 5th inning. Reds' starter Ryan Merritt gave up five runs on six hits in four innings of work. He walked two and struck out three on 78 pitches. The Brewers' Freddy Peralta didn't fare much better, giving up five runs on five hits in 4.2 innings of work. He walked five and struck out five on 92 pitches.

The Brewers' Luis Urias only had one hit tonight in four at-bats, but it was his RBI double in the 5th inning off of Sean Doolittle that gave the Brewers the lead for good. Christian Yelich hit his 10th homer of the season in the 7th to give the Brewers an insurance run. A run that absolutely needed as Nick Castellanos hit a pinch-hit homer in the 8th inning for his 14th of the season.

Brewers closer Devlin Williams came in to nail down the save but was pulled after one hitter with shoulder discomfort. Hoby Milner completed the 1-2-3 9th for his third save of the season.

Notable Performances
Christian Yelich (MIL) -- 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
Tucker Barnhart (CIN) -- 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
Kolten Wong (MIL) -- 2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB

Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers
Jun 16, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (32-36)	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0
Milwaukee (35-33)	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	4	X	7	10	1
W: Jake Cousins (2-0) L: Heath Hembree (2-1) S: Devin Williams (7)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	MIL
MIL	1	Luis Urias doubles (11) to right-center. Lorenzo Cain scores. Yuli Gurriel scores.	0	2
CIN	4	Nick Castellanos singles to left-center. Jesse Winker scores.	1	2
CIN	4	Joey Votto scores on Corbin Burnes balk.	2	2
CIN	4	Mike Moustakas doubles (10) to center. Nick Castellanos scores.	3	2
MIL	4	Avisail Garcia grounds into 5-4-3 double play. Yuli Gurriel scores.	3	3
MIL	8	Lorenzo Cain doubles (12) to right. Jace Peterson scores.	3	4
MIL	8	Lorenzo Cain scores on Tyler Stephenson passed ball.	3	5
MIL	8	Luis Urias doubles (12) down 3B line. Christian Yelich scores.	3	6
MIL	8	Avisail Garcia flies out to left. Luis Urias scores.	3	7

8th inning dooms Reds; fall 7-3

Save for one inning, Brewers starter Corbin Burnes was absolutely dominating.

The 4th inning kept the Brewers starter from factoring into the decision, but Burnes was dominating tonight. Burnes was dominating, hitting double digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this season with 11.

Tyler Mahle had a rough opening frame as the Brewers tagged him quickly for two runs, but settled down nicely. Mahle gave up three runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Mahle has thrown two straight quality starts but has recorded a no-decision in both of those starts.

The wheels came off in the 8th inning when David Bell let Heath Hembree go out for a second inning after pitching a 1-2-3 7th inning. It didn't go smoothly, as Hembree got tagged for three runs and Tejay Antone got tagged for another run as well.

The Reds loaded the bases in the 9th inning, but Devin Williams, who was pulled from yesterday's game with shoulder discomfort, struck out Jesse Winker to end the game.

Notes: Mike Moustakas was pulled from the game with tightness in his back. He has been listed as day-to-day.

Notable Performances
Corbin Burnes (MIL) -- 7 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 11 K
Luis Urias (MIL) -- 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R
Tyler Mahle (CIN) -- 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 6 K

***

MLB Headlines

6/14 -- Rays announce SP Chris Archer (6-2, 2.50) is done for the season with a torn labrum.
6/14 -- Giants announce RP Zack Littell (17 G, 2.38) is done for the season after elbow surgery.
6/14 -- Giants SP Logan Webb (5-0, 1.69) tosses a complete game shutout, giving up three hits and striking out 11 in a 6-0 victory over the Diamondbacks.
6/14 -- Tigers send RP Bryan Garcia (19 G, 2.75) and a prospect to the Rays for 2B Taylor Walls (#89 prospect).
6/16 -- Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw (8-0, 2.66) has signed a 4-year, $88.8M extension with the club. The final year of the contract is a vesting option that requires 180 innings pitched. The contract includes a full no-trade clause as well as Cy Young and All-Star bonuses.
6/16 -- Marlins CF Starling Marte (.339, 16 HR, 49 RBI) went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 20 games in an 11-9 victory over the Cardinals.

[jasontoddwhitt]

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Pitching Matchups

6/17 -- RHP Sonny Gray (7-2, 3.47) vs RHP Chris Paddack (4-4, 4.67)
6/18 -- LHP Wade Miley (5-5, 6.32) vs LHP Adrian Morejon (5-3, 5.64)
6/19 -- RHP Luis Castillo (3-6, 5.70) vs RHP Dinelson Lamet (4-2, 2.72)
6/20 -- LHP Ryan Merritt (1-4, 6.17) vs RHP Yu Darvish (1-3, 5.50)

Who's Hot? Who's Not?

Cincinnati Reds

RF Aristides Aquino -- 30 G, 3-for-47 (.063), 3 RBI
RP Cam Bedrosian -- 18 G, 9.39 ERA, 15.1 IP, 20 K

San Diego Padres

SP Dinelson Lamet -- 3 G, 2-0, 1.10 ERA, 16.1 IP, 17 K

Injury Report

Cincinnati Reds

SP Brandon Bailey (elbow) -- 60-day IL
2B Max Schrock (foot) -- 60-day IL
3B Mike Moustakas (back) -- DtD
SP Michael Lorenzen (shoulder) -- 60-day IL

San Diego Padres

CF Trent Grisham (ribs) -- 10-day IL
SP Mike Clevinger (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RP Keone Kela (shoulder) -- 60-day IL
SP Dinelson Lamet (oblique) -- Out
SP Joe Musgrove (shoulder) -- 60-day IL
RF Jorge Ona (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RP Trey Wingenter (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RP Jose Castillo (elbow) -- 60-day IL
SP Michel Baez (elbow) -- 60-day IL

[jasontoddwhitt]

Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres
Jun 17, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (33-36)	0	0	1	0	0	2	1	0	1	5	11	1
San Diego (34-37)	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0
W: Sonny Gray (8-2) L: Chris Paddack (4-5) S: Lucas Sims (17)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	SDG
SDG	2	Ha-Seong Kim doubles (3) to left-center. Eric Hosmer scores.	0	1
SDG	2	Luis Campusano doubles (3) to left-center. Ha-Seong Kim scores.	0	2
SDG	2	Chris Paddack doubles (1) down 1B line. Luis Campusano scores.	0	3
CIN	3	Aristides Aquino scores on a wild pitch by Chris Paddack.	1	3
CIN	6	Mike Moustakas homers (15) to right-center. Nick Castellanos scores.	3	3
CIN	7	Kyle Farmer homers (8) to left.	4	3
CIN	9	Nick Castellanos singles to left. Christian Colon scores.	5	3

Reds turn back Padres 5-3

The 2nd inning was a disaster piece for Sonny Gray and the Reds. The Padres hit three consecutive doubles to take a 3-0 lead and it looked like Gray was going to be in for a long day after giving up four hits in the inning. That was all the damage the Padres would do.

Gray didn't give up another hit the rest of the game, going eight strong innings as the Reds stormed back to defeat the Padres 5-3.

Mike Moustakas, despite being listed as day-to-day with a sore back, was in the lineup today and came up huge despite the back injury. Moustakas tied the game up at 3-3 in the sixth inning with a two-run blast off of Padres starter Chris Paddack. In the next inning, Kyle Farmer would launch a solo shot off of Paddack to give the Reds the lead.

Lucas Sims gave up a lead-off double in the 9th inning to Jurickson Profar, but then struck out the side to collect his 17th save in 18 tries.

Three Stars
#1 Sonny Gray (CIN) -- 8 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
#2 Mike Moustakas (CIN) -- 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
#3 Chris Paddack (SD) -- 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres
Jun 18, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (33-37)	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	5	2
San Diego (35-37)	0	0	0	0	5	0	1	0	X	6	12	0
W: Adrian Morejon (6-3) L: Wade Miley (5-6)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	SDG
CIN	2	Nick Senzel homers (6) to left-center.	1	0
SDG	5	Ha-Seong Kim homers (6) to left. Adrian Morejon scores.	1	2
SDG	5	Wil Myers homers (8) to left. Jurickson Profar scores. Fernando Tatis Jr. scores.	1	5
CIN	6	Jesse Winker triples (3) to right-center. Nick Castellanos scores.	2	5
SDG	7	Fernando Tatis Jr. homers (9) to left.	2	6

Padres stick Reds with 6-2 defeat

Things were right on track for Reds' starter Wade Miley. That is until everything went off the rails.

The 5th inning would prove to be a disaster. Miley gave up a two-run home run to Ha-Seong King and was then chased out of the game four batters later on a three-run homer to Wil Myers as the Padres scored five in the 5th on their way to a 6-2 victory.

Padres' starter Adrian Morejon kept the Reds off balance, only giving up two runs on four hits in six innings of work. Nick Senzel's solo shot in the 2nd and Jesse Winker's run-scoring triple in the 6th were the only two blemishes on Morejon.

Miley's record dropped to (5-6) on the year after giving up five runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work. He walked one and struck out three on 85 pitches.

Christian Colon was pulled from the game after being hit by a pitch in the 8th inning. He was diagnosed with a bruised hip and is officially listed as day-to-day.

Three Stars
#1 Fernando Tatis (SD) -- 4-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R
#2 Adrian Morejon (SD) -- 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
#3 Ha-Seong Kim (SD) -- 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB

Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres
Jun 19, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (33-38)	2	1	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	7	7	1
San Diego (36-37)	0	2	0	0	0	1	2	3	X	8	10	0
W: Drew Pomeranz (2-0) L: Amir Garrett (1-3) S: Pierce Johnson (2)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	SDG
CIN	1	Christian Colon scores on wild pitch by Blake Snell.	1	0
CIN	1	Jesse Winker singles to center. Eugenio Suarez scores. Nick Castellanos thrown out 8-2.	2	0
CIN	2	Christian Colon singles to center. Kyle Farmer scores.	3	0
SDG	2	Jorge Mateo singles to right. Eric Hosmer scores. Tommy Pham scores.	3	2
CIN	4	Christian Colon doubles (11) to center. Mike Moustakas scores. Kyle Farmer scores.	5	2
CIN	6	Mike Moustakas homers (16) to right. Nick Senzel scores.	7	2
SDG	6	Ha-Seong Kim singles to right. Eric Hosmer scores.	7	3
SDG	7	Fernando Tatis Jr. lines out to right. Jorge Mateo scores.	7	4
SDG	7	Eric Hosmer singles to center. Manny Machado scores.	7	5
SDG	8	Manny Machado reaches on E6. Ha-Seong Kim scores.	7	6
SDG	8	Tejay Antone walks Fernando Tatis Jr. Victor Caratini scores.	7	7
SDG	8	Tejay Antone walks Eric Hosmer. Jorge Mateo scores.	7	8

Reds lose in embarrassing fashion

"When you lose a game like that, it can have a disastrous effect on team morale," said Reds skipper David Bell.

That's really all that can be said. After the Reds had taken a 7-2 lead into the 6th inning, the Padres began chipping away at the lead, scoring a run in the 6th inning and two runs in the 7th inning to make it a 7-5 game heading into the 8th inning.

Amir Garrett started the inning, having come in during the 7th when Ian Kennedy pitched himself into a jam. Garrett was able to record two outs, but the Padres were able to load the bases via a walk and two hits. This prompted Bell to bring in Tejay Antone, who got Manny Machado to hit a routine groundball to shortstop after a grueling 12-pitch at-bat to get out of the inning.

Except Eugenio Suarez booted the ball for his 12th error of the season, trailing only Washington's Trea Turner (14 errors) for the most errors at the shortstop position. This brought a run home and kept the bases loaded. Antone was clearly rattled after this turn of events, as he walked the next two hitters on ten pitches before bearing down and striking out Tommy Pham on three pitches to end the suffering.

"That one's on me," said Antone. "I failed to pick up my teammate. I've got to execute my pitches in that situation. You can't be walking in runs. There's no excuse for it."

The damage had been done. After Padres starter Blake Snell had been chased out of the game in the 4th inning after giving up five runs, the Padres gave up only two runs the rest of the way. Padres closer Ryan Weathers was unavailable, so setup man Pierce Johnson got the call in the 9th to pick up his second save of the season.

Reds' starter Luis Castillo pitched well enough for the win, but inefficiency was once again his main issue today. Only 54 of Castillo's 100 pitches found the strike zone. He gave up three runs on six hits in 5.1 innings of work. He walked five and struck out five in the no-decision.

Three Stars
#1 Jorge Mateo (SD) -- 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
#2 Eric Hosmer (SD) -- 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
#3 Christian Colon (CIN) -- 2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R, BB

Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres
Jun 20, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (33-39)	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	8	2
San Diego (37-37)	0	0	1	2	3	2	0	0	X	8	13	0
W: Drew Pomeranz (3-0) L: Ryan Merritt (1-5)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	SDG
CIN	2	Joey Votto scores on wild pitch by Yu Darvish.	1	0
CIN	3	Mike Moustakas singles to right. Eugenio Suarez scores. Jesse Winker scores.	3	0
SDG	3	Tommy Pham singles to left. Jorge Mateo scores.	3	1
SDG	4	Jurickson Profar doubles (18) to right. Fernando Tatis scores. Will Myers scores. Ha-Seong Kim thrown out 9-4-2.	3	3
SDG	5	Tommy Pham homers (4) to right. Jorge Mateo scores.	3	5
SDG	5	Fernando Tatis Jr homers (10) to left.	3	6
SDG	6	Tommy Pham singles to right. Eric Hosmer scores. Austin Nola scores.	3	8

Reds fall 8-3, losing streak to three

The Reds horrid June form continued today despite early success against Padres starter Yu Darvish. After Darvish left the game after only three innings, the Padres bullpen shut down the Reds, only allowing four hits the rest of the way as the Reds' pitching could not stop the bleeding in an 8-3 beat down.

"We're just not playing good baseball right now," said Reds skipper David Bell. "We had early success and chased Darvish out after three innings. We were up 3-0. And then their bullpen completely shut us down. It's tough to win when you only manage four hits and strike out eight times in six innings, and you make errors that contribute directly to three runs scoring. We've got to clean it up."

Ryan Merritt looked great for two innings, but it was all downhill from there. He gave up four earned runs on nine hits in four innings of work. He struck out only one hitter on 68 pitches to drop his record to (1-5).

Three Stars
#1 Tommy Pham (SD) -- 4-for-5, HR, 5 RBI, R
#2 Fernando Tatis Jr (SD) -- 4-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R
#3 Mike Moustakas (CIN) -- 2-for-4, 2 RBI

***

MLB Headlines

6/18 -- Toronto 2B Marcus Semien (.261, 16 HR, 35 RBI) goes 5-for-5 in 9-6 victory over Baltimore.
6/20 -- Kansas City SP Jakob Junis (1-1, 1.72 ERA, 19 K) is out for the year after suffering a partially torn UCL in his elbow.

[jasontoddwhitt]

TEAM NEWS

Reds struggle in June as pitching woes continue

The Cincinnati Reds have hit a rough patch as they entered June in first place in the NL Central but have since dropped to fourth place in the division, five games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. The Reds have gone 5-14 in the month of June and are struggling to keep pace with their rivals.

The pitching staff has been the main culprit of the Reds' woes, with the team ranking near the bottom of the National League in all major pitching categories. Runs against, starters ERA, bullpen ERA, FIP, pitching WAR, and strikeouts all rank in the bottom half of the league. The Reds' pitching staff has allowed the second-most home runs in the National League, with 98 so far this season.

Despite the struggles, the Reds remain confident that they can turn things around. Manager David Bell has emphasized the importance of staying focused and playing one game at a time, stating that the team is still in a good position to make a run for the playoffs.

"We know that we've had some rough patches, but we still have a lot of baseball left to play," said Bell. "We have a talented group of players, and we're going to keep working hard every day to get better."

The Reds will need to find a way to improve their pitching if they want to stay in contention in the NL Central. The team is hopeful Michael Lorenzen will return within the month from the strained shoulder he suffered back in spring training. It remains to be seen if he will slot into the rotation like he was preparing to do or if he'll return to the bullpen. However, more work needs to be done if the Reds want to compete at the highest level.

Despite the recent struggles, the team remains optimistic about the future. The Reds are committed to building a winning culture and are confident that they can turn things around in the coming weeks.

As the season enters the summer months, the Reds are looking to heat up and make a push for the playoffs. The team knows that it won't be easy, but they are determined to do whatever it takes to bring a championship back to Cincinnati.

All-Star Update

In the latest voting update provided by Major League Baseball, here is how you're favorite Reds are looking.

1B Joey Votto - 3rd place with 1.07M votes.
LF Jesse Winker - 1st place with 1.18M votes.
SP Sonny Gray - 5th place with 703k votes.

Batting Stats



Pitching Stats



MLB Standings




MLB Power Rankings



MLB Weekly Awards

SS Carlos Correa (Astros) -- 10-for-20 (.500), 1 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R, 1.765 OPS
SS Francisco Lindor (Mets) -- 15-for-30 (.500), 4 2B, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 9 R, 1.649 OPS



Who is leading Major League Baseball in saves on the road?

t-1. CL Yimi Garcia (Marlins) -- 11
t-1. CL Hector Neris (Phillies) -- 11
t-1. CL Jordan Romano (Blue Jays) -- 11
t-4. CL Emmanuel Clase (Indians) -- 9
t-4. CL Edwin Diaz (Mets) -- 9

[jasontoddwhitt]

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Pitching Matchups

6/21 -- Tyler Mahle (5-3, 4.43) vs Michael Pineda (5-2, 2.52)
6/22 -- Sonny Gray (8-2, 3.46) vs J.A. Happ (4-3, 5.27)

Who's Hot? Who's Not?

Cincinnati Reds

RF Aristides Aquino -- 13 G, 2-for-22 (.090), 0 HR, 1 RBI
RP Cam Bedrosian -- 19 G, 0-0, 8.82 ERA, 16.1 IP, 20 K
SP Wade Miley -- 9 G, 1-6, 8.34 ERA, 45.1 IP, 29 K

Minnesota Twins

C Willians Astudillo -- 7 G, 10-for-20 (.500), 2 HR, 9 RBI
LF Akil Baddoo -- 5 G, 11-for-21 (.524), 0 HR, 5 RBI
RP Bailey Ober -- 5 G, 0-0, 11.25 ERA, 12 IP, 16 K
SP Matt Shoemaker -- 7 G, 0-4, 9.10 ERA, 28.2 IP, 23 K
RP Devin Smeltzer -- 13 G, 1-1, 9.50 ERA, 18 IP, 21 K

[jasontoddwhitt]

Cincinnati Reds at Minnesota Twins
Jun 21, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (33-40)	3	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	3	8	15	1
Minnesota (42-31)	0	2	3	2	1	1	1	1	x	11	17	0
W: Michael Pineda (6-2) L: Tyler Mahle (5-4) S: Alex Colome (4)

Reds Drop Close Game to Twins Despite Late Rally

The Cincinnati Reds couldn't overcome an early deficit against the Minnesota Twins, ultimately falling 11-8 in a high-scoring affair on Monday night at Target Field.

The Reds got off to a strong start in the top of the first inning, with Joey Votto and Nick Castellanos hitting back-to-back doubles to score two runs. Castellanos added another RBI in the fourth inning with another double, but the Twins were already ahead by that point.

Starting pitcher Tyler Mahle struggled for Cincinnati, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in just three innings of work. Mahle gave up two home runs, including a two-run shot by JT Riddle in the fourth inning.

The Twins had a big night at the plate, with 17 hits and three home runs. Luis Arraez led the way with a 4-for-4 performance, including a home run and two RBIs. Riddle also had a big night for Minnesota, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

Despite the early deficit and Mahle's struggles, the Reds refused to go quietly. They scored a run each in the fourth and sixth innings to cut the lead to 9-5 and added three more in the top of the ninth inning. Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run double to make it a three-run game, but the Reds were unable to complete the comeback.

Michael Pineda picked up the win for Minnesota, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Alex Colome earned the save, his fourth of the season, despite allowing a hit and a walk in just 0.1 innings pitched.

The loss drops the Reds to 33-40 on the season, 5.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. The Twins improve to 42-31 with the win.

The two teams will face off again on Tuesday night at Target Field, with Sonny Gray (8-2) scheduled to take the mound for the Reds against the Twins' J.A. Happ (4-3).

Cincinnati Reds at Minnesota Twins
Jun 22, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (33-41)	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	11	3
Minnesota (43-31)	2	3	0	0	3	1	3	0	x	12	14	0
W: J.A. Happ (5-3) L: Sonny Gray (8-3)

Twins Dominate Reds with 12-4 Victory, Buxton and Cruz Combine for 3 Homers

The Minnesota Twins made quick work of the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, taking a commanding 12-4 victory at Target Field. The win improved the Twins' record to 43-31, while the Reds suffered their fifth straight loss, dropping to 33-41.

The Twins got off to a hot start, with Nelson Cruz hitting a two-run homer in the first inning off Reds starter Sonny Gray. Byron Buxton followed suit in the second inning, hitting a three-run homer to give the Twins a commanding 5-0 lead.

The Reds managed to get on the board in the third inning, with Joey Votto hitting an RBI single off Twins starter J.A. Happ. Tyler Stephenson and Nick Senzel would also drive in runs in the inning, but the Twins still held a comfortable 5-3 lead.

The Twins would add to their lead in the fifth inning, with Miguel Sano hitting an RBI double off Gray and Jorge Polanco drove in two runs with a single. Buxton would hit another solo homer in the sixth inning, giving him four RBIs on the day.

Luis Arraez would add an RBI single in the seventh inning, with Mitch Garver scoring on a throwing error by Jesse Winker. Cruz would also drive in a run with a single, extending the Twins' lead to 12-3.

The Reds would manage one more run in the top of the ninth inning, with Stephenson hitting an RBI single off Twins reliever Devin Smeltzer. But it was too little, too late for the struggling Reds.

Happ picked up the win for the Twins, going 5.1 innings and giving up three runs on seven hits. Gray took the loss for the Reds, allowing eight runs (five earned) on seven hits over 4.1 innings.

The Reds will have a day off on Wednesday before beginning a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves, who currently sit at 41-32. The Twins will continue their homestand with a series against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

***

MLB Headlines

6/21 -- The Pirates traded RP Richard Rodriguez (4-1, 13 SV, 2.73 ERA, 29.2 IP, 9 BB, 37 K) to the Mets for two prospects.
6/22 -- Twins place 2B Jorge Polanco on the IL with a strained rib cage muscle. He is expected to be out for a month.
6/22 -- Marlins CF Starling Marte's 23-game hit streak was snapped in a 2-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
6/23 -- The Angels traded RP Raisel Iglesias (3-1, 18 SV, 1.73 ERA, 26 IP, 4 BB, 31 K) and a prospect to the Cardinals for LF John Nogowski (.333/.378/.500, 42 AB, 2 HR)

[jasontoddwhitt]

Cincinnati Reds Trade Sean Doolittle to Cleveland Indians for Prospect Jesus Maestre

The Cincinnati Reds have traded veteran reliever Sean Doolittle to the Cleveland Indians for 21-year-old prospect Jesus Maestre. Doolittle, who had signed a one-year deal worth $1.5M with the Reds last offseason, made 30 relief appearances for the team, posting a record of 1-1 and a 4.19 ERA. In 34.1 innings of work, Doolittle struck out 26 and walked six.

Maestre, who had been with the Indians' Single-A affiliate Lynchburg, was slashing .185/.272/.247 in 24 starts for the team. The Reds have assigned Maestre to their Single-A affiliate in Daytona. Maestre signed as an international free agent with the Indians back in 2016.

To replace Doolittle on the active roster, the Reds have recalled 26-year-old reliever Joel Kuhnel from Double-A Chattanooga. Kuhnel had made five relief appearances for the Reds earlier in the season, posting a 5.06 ERA with four walks and seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. In Chattanooga, Kuhnel had made nine relief appearances with a record of 1-0 and an ERA of 2.08. He walked two and struck out 14 in 13 innings of work.

The move may be an attempt by the Reds to free up some space in the bullpen (and the rumored purse-string tightening by ownership) while acquiring a young prospect. It remains to be seen how Maestre will develop in the Reds organization, but the move shows that the team is willing to make changes in order to improve their roster.

***

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Pitching Matchups

6/24 -- Charlie Morton (3-5, 6.28) vs Wade Miley (5-6, 6.55)
6/25 -- Huascar Ynoa (5-4, 3.77) vs Luis Castillo (3-6, 5.66)
6/26 -- Max Fried (7-3, 4.58) vs Ryan Merritt (1-5, 6.41)
6/27 -- Ian Anderson (3-5, 5.20) vs Tyler Mahle (5-4, 5.03)

Who's Hot? Who's Not?

Atlanta Braves

1B Freddie Freeman -- 14 G, 23-for-50 (.460), 3 HR, 10 RBI
3B Austin Riley -- 8 G, 13-for-26 (.500), 5 HR, 7 RBI
RP Tucker Davidson -- 15 G, 2-2, 9.39 ERA, 15.1 IP, 24 K
SP Cole Hamels -- 2 G, 0-2, 12.27 ERA, 7.1 IP, 7 K

Cincinnati Reds

C Tucker Barnhart -- 8 G, 9-for-25 (.360), 2 HR, 5 RBI
RF Aristides Aquino -- 15 G, 3-for-31 (.096), 0 HR, 1 RBI
RP Cam Bedrosian -- 19 G, 0-0, 10.20 ERA, 15 IP, 15 K
SP Tyler Mahle -- 2 G, 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 9 IP, 10 K
SP Wade Miley -- 9 G, 1-6, 8.34 ERA, 45.1 IP, 29 K

[jasontoddwhitt]

Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds
Jun 24, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta (42-33)	3	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	7	16	0
Cincinnati (33-42)	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	0	4	10	0
W: Victor Arano (1-2) L: Wade Miley (5-7) S: Will Smith (14)

Reds Fall to Braves in Sixth Consecutive Loss

The Cincinnati Reds' struggles continued on Thursday night as they suffered a 7-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ballpark. It was the Reds' sixth straight defeat, dropping their record to 33-42 on the season.

The Braves got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the first inning off of Reds starter Wade Miley. The Reds were able to cut into the lead in the third inning when Eugenio Suarez hit a solo home run to left field off Braves starter Charlie Morton.

However, the Braves were able to extend their lead in the fourth inning, when Ender Inciarte doubled down the right field line off of Miley to score Ryan Goins. Ozzie Albies then singled to center field to score Inciarte, giving the Braves a 6-1 lead.

The Reds were able to score one more run in the fifth inning when Joey Votto hit an infield single off Morton to score Christian Colon. Nick Senzel also hit a solo home run off of Braves reliever Victor Arano in the sixth inning to make the score 6-3.

The Reds were able to score one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Mike Moustakas hit a solo home run to right field off Chris Martin. However, the Braves added an insurance run in the ninth inning when Dansby Swanson singled to left field to score Austin Riley.

Despite the loss, Nick Senzel had a solid game for the Reds, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and one RBI. However, it was Ozzie Albies who earned Player of the Game honors for the Braves, going 4-for-5 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored.

The Reds will look to end their losing streak on Friday in game two of the series.

Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds
Jun 25, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta (43-33)	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1	9	14	0
Cincinnati (33-43)	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	1	0	4	11	0
W: A.J. Minter (4-1) L: Tejay Antone (2-7)

Reds suffer seventh straight loss against Braves, Nick Senzel named Player of the Game

The Cincinnati Reds continue to struggle as they lost their seventh consecutive game against the Atlanta Braves Friday night. The Braves took control of the game early on and won 9-4 against the home team at Great American Ballpark.

Braves starting pitcher Huascar Ynoa had a solid outing, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing only two earned runs on six hits. His counterpart, Reds starter Luis Castillo, also had a decent performance, giving up three runs on seven hits in six innings of work.

The Reds managed to score four runs on 11 hits, but it was not enough to keep up with the Braves. Nick Senzel was the standout player for the Reds, going 3 for 4 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored.

The Braves' Austin Riley also had a great game, going 2 for 3 with a double and four RBIs, while Travis d'Arnaud and Ozzie Albies also contributed with home runs of their own.

The turning point of the game came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tejay Antone took the mound for the Reds and gave up five runs, including a three-run double by Riley. The Braves never looked back after that, securing their 43rd win of the season.

Despite the loss, the Reds can take some solace in the fact that Senzel was named the Player of the Game for his outstanding performance at the plate. The team will need to regroup and turn things around soon if they hope to stay in the playoff race.

With this win, the Braves improve to 43-33 on the season, while the Reds drop to 33-43 and continue to struggle.

Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds
Jun 27, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta (44-33)	0	1	3	0	0	0	4	0	0	8	13	1
Cincinnati (33-44)	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	5	13	0
W: Cole Sulser (1-0) L: Tyler Mahle (5-5) S: Will Smith (15)

Reds Lose Eighth Straight in Game 1 of Doubleheader Against Braves

The Cincinnati Reds losing streak extended to eight games as they fell to the Atlanta Braves 8-5 in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday.

Tyler Mahle (5-5) started on the mound for the Reds and gave up nine hits and seven runs over 6.2 innings. He was charged with the loss, while Braves starter Max Fried allowed four runs on seven hits in just four innings as he didn't factor into the decision.

The Braves took an early lead in the second inning when Ronald Acuna homered to center field. The Reds responded in the bottom of the frame with a passed ball by Alex Jackson that allowed Eugenio Suarez to score, and a two-run homer by Joey Votto that put the Reds up 3-1.

The Braves came back in the third inning with a three-run homer by Ozzie Albies to take a 4-3 lead. The Reds tied it up in the bottom of the frame with a single by Votto that drove in Christian Colon.

But the Braves kept piling on runs, with Albies hitting a two-run double in the seventh inning, followed by a two-run homer by Freddie Freeman. The Reds added a run in the eighth on a single by Jesse Winker, but it wasn't enough.

The loss drops the Reds' record to 33-44, while the Braves improve to 44-33.

Game 2 of the doubleheader is set to begin later on Sunday.

Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds | F/13
Jun 27, 2021	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Extras	R	H	E
Atlanta (45-33)	0	2	0	0	1	3	0	1	0	0 0 0 11	18	19	2
Cincinnati (33-45)	0	0	0	0	1	4	0	1	1	0 0 0 0	7	13	2
W: Chris Martin (2-0) L: Casey Sadler (1-1)

Braves Crush Reds in Game 2, Sweep Series and Extend Reds' Losing Streak to Nine

The Cincinnati Reds endured yet another defeat in game two of their doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, extending their losing streak to nine games. The Braves won both games of the doubleheader, and the second game was a high-scoring affair that went to 13 innings.

Despite the Reds' valiant effort, they were unable to contain the Braves' offense, as the visitors racked up 18 runs on 19 hits. The Reds, on the other hand, managed only seven runs on 13 hits.

The Reds starting pitcher, Ryan Merritt, struggled to contain the Braves' hitters, giving up 11 hits and six runs in 5.2 innings. The Braves starter, Ian Anderson, also gave up five runs in 5.2 innings, but his team's offense provided enough support to keep them in the game.

The Reds managed to tie the game in the ninth inning following a Nick Senzel run-scoring single that plated Jesse Winker. Unfortunately, Joey Votto was thrown at home on a ground ball by Kyle Farmer and Tucker Barnhart flew out to left to end the threat. The Reds had an opportunity to win the game in the 10th inning, but Nick Castellanos left Christian Colon stranded on third base after his fourth strikeout of the game. The Reds got a runner to third base again in the 11th inning, but Nick Senzel was left stranded after Colon grounded out.

The wheels unfortunately came off in the 13th inning. Reds reliever Casey Sadler, who pitched the first game of the doubleheader, took the loss after giving up four runs in the 13th inning. Ian Kennedy came into the game, after he also pitched the earlier game, and absolutely couldn't find the strike zone. Kennedy walked five hitters and gave up seven runs as the Braves tallied 11 in the inning.

Chris Martin earned the win for the Braves after pitching 1.2 scoreless innings.

The Reds' Nick Castellanos set an unfortunate record in the game, striking out five times and setting a new Reds extra-inning game record for strikeouts.

The Reds get a much-needed day off tomorrow and look to end this nine-game losing streak against the San Diego Padres.

***

MLB Headlines

6/24 -- Marlins SP Sandy Alcantara (5-6, 3.49 ERA, 65 K) will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff.
6/24 -- Indians 3B Jose Ramirez (.301, 16 HR, 43 RBI) tags Twins for five hits in an 11-7 victory.
6/24 -- Twins trade C Mitch Garver (.212, 14 HR, 37 RBI) to the Cardinals for RP Alex Reyes (28.2 IP, 31 K, 7.85 ERA) and RP Junior Fernandez (12 IP, 10 K, 6.00 ERA).
6/25 -- Blue Jays 3B Cavan Biggio (.234, 12 HR, 37 RBI) hits for the cycle in a 15-2 victory over the Orioles.
6/25 -- White Sox SP Carlos Rodon (9-3, 3.38 ERA, 129 K) fans 15 in a 3-0 victory over the Mariners.