Reds Nightmare Road Trip Ends in 2-1 Loss To Braves

The Reds knew the road trip was going to be a challenge but they didn't know that Murphy's Law would be so strictly enforced.

The roadtrip from Elm Street started against Cleveland the team with the best record in the American League, two one run losses and a short pitching outing by its started resulted in a blow out losses and a blown out bullpen.

Next the Reds had four games against the team with the best record in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Another short outing on Monday, a win, then a 19 inning loss, and another blowout preceeded a weekend series against a 2010 playoff team in Atlanta.  The Reds won a hard fought game on Friday, then lost another long hard 12-inning loss on Saturday.

They desperately needed a deep start by its starter, Johnny Cueto and got one.  An eight inning effort in which the righthander made one bad pitch.  Unfortunately for Cincinnati, that mistake was hit out of the ballpark by Martin Prado, after Jordan Schafer reached first with a nine-pitch argument with Cueto.  Schafer fouled off some good pitches and walked.

Jair Jurrjens started for Atlanta with a 6-1 record and a league-leading 1.56 ERA.  He made one bad pitch as well and Jay Bruce hit his National League leading 15th home run in the second inning.  There was no one on base at the time.

Cueto made it stand up until Prado reached the seats in the sixth inning.

Cueto pitched two more scoreless innings to help refresh the besieged bullpen and nearly came away with a win but the snake bitten Reds were stymied by a controversial call.

Paul Janish singled for the second time in the top of the eighth.  The first time he singled in the third inning, Cueto was asked to bunt Janish into scoring position but former Reds' catcher, David Ross, hooked up with Dan Uggla to pick Janish off base.  Uggla who was covering first, snuck in behind Janish as Ross took a wide pitch and nailed the Reds' shortstop.

This time Cueto's sacrifice attempt was successful.  Janish was still on second after Drew Stubbs struck out.

Brandon Phillips extended his hitting streak to six games by lining a hard single that fell in front of Prado, who played it on a perfect bounce on which to throw.  Prado indeed made a strong throw to Ross.  On a close play at home Janish was called out by umpire, Dan Iassogna.  The mild mannered Janish jumped up in protest after making a nice evasive slide.  Replays showed evidence that the tag by Ross, if he made one at all was late.

When a team is struggling it seems like every call goes against them and the ball bounces in favor of the opposition all the time.  The play was a prime example.  Had Phillips hit the ball softer, Prado's throw would have been late.  Had the ball been an inch or so to either side, Janish would have beaten the throw.

Had karma been on the Reds' side, Janish and Cincinnati would have gotten a favorible call but it went against them.

To extend the cruel nightmare, Joey Votto was walked by closer, Craig Kimbrel to open the ninth.  Two outs later, Freddie Lewis singled to put Votto in scoring position, creating a rematch between Kimbrell and Ramon Hernandez.

On Friday, Hernandez hit a two-run home run off Kimbrell, who was trying to hold Cincinnati to a 3-1 ninth inning lead to give the Braves a chance to rally.

This night, Kimbrell put his fastball just out of the top of the strikezone to strike out Hernandez, who is one of the club's better clutch hitters.

The Reds limp home to play a hot Milwaukee team.  The Reds have taken five of the first six battles with the Brewers.