For the fourth straight game the Reds scored two or more runs in the first inning for the third straight game the Reds were outschored, this time the Washington Nationals etched a 5-4 with to take the series.
The game ended when Nick Senzel, who represented the winning run was the victim of a back pick. The Nationals were not holding Senzel on but called a pitch out from Steve Cishek. As the pitch came in, first baseman Josh Bell ran to me. base. Catcher Keibert Ruiz threw down to nail Senzel for the final out of the game.
"It was my fault. It should never happen," Senzel said. "They made a good play but it should have never happened."
The Reds challenged the play but the call was upheld.
"I was safe. He never tagged me," Senzel insisted.
It has been tough 1/3 of a seas on for the Reds. They stand at 18-35 and tomorrow's game against Arizona will mark the exact first third of the season. The Reds have been hit by injuries but David Bell is sticking by his players.
"There is no easy way to lose when they are doing everything they can to win games,' Bell said. "Th.e appearance is that it came down to one play. That is not the case at all. There are a lot of things that went into what happened this weekend. These guys win as a team and lose as a team."
Bell insisted that the mistake was do to Senzel wanting to make sure he scored on a hit to the gap.
"You have to be aware of the situation," Bell said. "You have to be aware of the back pick. You have to be aware of a lot. You're thinking of getting a good break; a good secondary lead. You want to be aggressive and make sure you score. It's no excuse but it happens. It does happen."
Cesar Hernandez walked new Reds' killer Lane Thomas doubled to put runners at second and third with no one out. Castillo looked like he could get out of the inning unharmed when hi retired Juan Soto on a hard ground ball right at Brandon Drury at third base. Castillo struck out Nelson Cruz but Josh Bell, extended his hitting streak to seven games with a double down the right field line.
The Reds had an answer.
Nick Senzel singled to open against Nationa;s' starter Patrick Corbin then stole second. One out later, Tommy Pham signled to score Senzel, taking second on the throw home. Joey Votto doubled off the left field wall, scoring Pham. It was Votto's 442nd career double that moved him one ahaead of Barry Larkin on the Reds' all-time doubles list.
The failure of the Reds to turn a double play cost them the lead in the fourth inning. Yadiel Hernandez singled. Keibert Ruiz walked. Maikel Franco hit a hard grounder to Brury at third. He threw to Matt Reynolds, who dropped the ball trying to make the pivot at second. Insteadd of two outs and a man on third. Washington had runners on first and third with one out. Luis Garcia, who had three hits on Saturday, singled past Votto at first to tie the game, sending Franco to third. Cesar Hernandez hit a one hopper to Votto at first but Hernandez beat Kyle Farmer's relay as Franco crossed the plate to make it a 4-3 game.
Two scoring changes made those runs unearned. Yadiel Hernandez's single was changed to an error onas Farmer. Garcia's was changed to an error on Votto.
Franco hit his fourth home run of the season in the sixth.e
Castillo pitched into the seventh. He got one out but Thomas singled and Soto walked. David Bell brought in Art Warren. Castillo allowed three earned runs on six hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings.
This time the Reds' converted a double play off Warrne's pitch to Cruz.
The Reds made it a one-run game in the eighth. Drury hit a slow ground ballTh to the right of the mound. Victor Arano was injured trying to field it. He was charged with an error as Drury reached base. Pham beat the shift with a slow ground ball to second that didn't clear the infield off reliever Erasmo Ramirez. Ramirez got Votto to hit into a 4-6-3 double play. Tyler Stephenson's third hit of the game plated Drury.
Steve Cishek came in to pitch the ninth for Washington, looking for his first save of the season. He walked Albert Almora Jr. but retired the next two. Senzel beat out a ground ball to short representing the potential winning run. The safe call survived a challenge. Catcher Ruiz caught Senzel on a back pick that the Reds challenged and lost to end the game.
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