Mat Latos Frustration Boils Over In Decisive Inning

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The deciding game of the Reds' three-game series with Washington hinged on one pitch in the Red's 4-2 loss to the Nationals.

With the bases loaded, Mat Latos thought he had Jayson Werth struck out on a 1-2 curveball.  The pitch was ruled a ball by homeplate umpire Toby Basner.

Latos walked Werth and Adam LaRoche dumped a two-run single into leftfield to give Doug Fister all the run support he needed. For good measure the Nationals added an unearned run in the ninth off Carlos Contreras.

Latos walked off the mound with an expletive laden message for Basner.

"There were close pitches to Werth that were not strikes but were close," Bryan Price said.  "Baseball is a game you have to endure."

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Latos finished after allowing three runs on three hits and four walks.  We walked two, including Werth and hit a batter in the decisive fifth inning.

"I started to pitch like shit," Latos said.  "I let a couple of things get to me that shouldn't have.  The walk to Werth was what bothered me  There were some pitches that were close.  He (umpire Toby Basner) was inconsistent behind the dish."

Latos was also upset about the first hit he allowed to Danny Espinosa, who started the game with a .214 average.

"I gave too much credit to some of their hitters. I hung a curve on an 0-2 pitch to a .200 hitter.  Then the whole inning went to shit. That's what you get when you pitch like shit."

The Reds are still in a hitting funk since the All-Star game. In the nine games the Reds have scored no more than three runs in a game while losing eight of them.

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Fister allowed three harmless singles in seven innings.  He walked one.

"What it comes down to is we didn't score many runs," Price said.  "We have to get better at that.  Guys are trying but aren't getting anything out of their effort." 

The Reds avoided being shutout for the 11th time this season. When Devin Mesoroco doubled home Frazier and Jay Bruce, who had his third hit since the All-Star break,(3-28). They have scored 16 runs in the nine games since the All-Star break.

"You can't wait until the ninth inning.  We have to get more runners on base," Price said.