Reds Lose Back-to-back 1-0 Games

 

 

 

 

Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Jack Leiter shut the Cincinnati Reds down for the second game in a row as the Texas Rangers won 1-0 to take the series.

The Rangers were outscored 14-5 in the series but won the series. It was the first time in Washington/Texas franchise history the team won consecutive 1-0 games. The Reds lost to the Brewers in two straight 1-0 games in 2023 on July 9 before the All-Star break and on July 9 after the break. Current Reds’ pitcher Wade Miley authored one of those shutouts.

Leiter  (2-0) retired the first 11 Reds’ batters until Elly De La Cruz doubled. He left after the fifth inning with a blister on his pitching hand.without allowing a run. He tied his career-high with six strikeouts.

Josh Smith’s two out double in the fourth inning scored Joc Pederson with the first run of the game off Hunter Greene (0-1), who allowed one run in seven innings on two hits.

Greene struck out Jake Burger for the 500th strikeout of his career. It came in Greene’s 74 appearances, the fastest Reds’ pitcher to 500 strikeouts since 1900. Luis Castillo struck out 500 in 79 appearances in 2020.  

De La Cruz made a highlight-worthy catch of a foul ball down the left field line in the eighth inning. He was positioned for a left handed hitter. 

“He’s a special talent,” new teammate Gavin Lux said. “There is nothing he can’t do. It was a long run, then to lay out and backhand it and somehow not roll his wrist. There is certain stuff that he can do that other guys can't do.”

Joc Pederson’s slow roller single to third eluded Jeimer Candelario to set up the winning run.

The Reds scored 14 runs in the first six innings of the series. They were shutout in the next 20. Greene and Carson Spiers both put up quality starts but were not rewarded.

Jack Leiter is the son of Al Leiter. Al Leiter shut the Reds out 5-0 in the tie breaking game for a wild card spot in 1999.

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Nathan Eovaldi Tames Reds Hot Bats To Even The Seiries At A Game Each

 

Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Nathan Eovaldi tamed a lineup that scored 14 runs on Monday. He earned a complete game shutout to lift the Texas Rangers to a 1-0 win to even the three-game series.

Carson Spiers made his first start of the season against the dangerous Texas Rangers.

Wyatt Langford put the Rangers ahead in the first inning with a home run off Spiers. It was his second of the season. 

Rangers’ starter, Eovaldi made his second start of the year. He pitched six innings and got a no-decision loss to the Boston Red Sox. Eovaldi pitched four perfect innings until Gavin Lux singled to lead off the fifth. He was erased when Santiago Espinal hit into a double play, allowing the Rangers’ hurler to face the minimum batters through five. 

“This early in the season to go the distance, he never fell into a pattern,” Reds’ manager Terry Francona explained. “He had everything working. He got into a rhythm but never a pattern.”

Spiers pitched six innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks with a hit batter. He struck out five.

“He (Spiers) did a very good job, I think the pitch to Langford, he was trying to go up and in and it went down and in,” Francona said. “It just wasn’t the location he was looking for. When he can give us six (innings) and one run, we’ll take it.”

Spiers didn’t think Lankford hit a bad pitch. 

“I’m pretty pleased with it,” Spiers said. “I thought I threw the ball well. It was a fun little battle. Me and Wynns were on the same page. The two seam to Langford, he put a pretty good swing on it. It was a fine pitch. I wish it were a little more elevated.”

The ball landed in the second row of the seats in left field. It would have been an out in a lot of ballparks.

Austin Wynns had a two-out single in the sixth but was stranded. 

Scott Barlow relieved Spiers. He allowed two base runners but no runs.

Matt McLain led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. With McLain running, Elly De La Cruz grounded out to second baseman Marcus Simien. Lux’ ground out moved McLain to third but Jeimer Candelario flew out to left field.

Taylor Rogers started the eighth for the Reds. Rogers got the first two batters but walked Joc Pederson. Ian Gibaut came on to pitch to Adolis Garcia. Gibaut retired him on a fly to left on one pitch. He also survived an error by De La Cruz to hold the Rangers in the ninth.

Eovaldi with 87 pitches came out in the ninth inning. Jacob Hurtubise singled to open the inning. TJ Friedl bunted but catcher Kyle Higashioka forced Hurtubise at second. McLain lined out to center, leaving the game up to De La Cruz. Friedl moved to second on a wild pitch. De La Cruz grounded out 3-1 to end the game. 

Eovaldi allowed four hits and no walks. He struck out eight.

Trainer’s Room:

Andrew Abbott is on a rehab assignment. He pitched for the Louisville Bats in Omaha. Pitching coach Derek Johnson scheduled for six innings.

He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, both on solo home runs. The last to Joey Weimer. Abbott gave up six hits. He walked two and struck out four. Abbott threw 85 pitches with 48 strikes.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand was not in the starting lineup on Tuesday.  He was hit on the right wrist on Monday night by Gerson Garabito. It was the wrist that was broken by a pitch in Texas by Michael Lorenzen last season.

“Part of me with the day game tomorrow, I was trying to mix and match a little bit,” Francona said. “I knew he was going to be a little sore. He is going to hit in the cage. My guess is he will be available off the bench tonight and be ready for tomorrow.”

Tyler Stephenson had a cat scan on Wednesday (March 26). He will have an MRI on April 7 and will not go on the road trip to Milwaukee and San Francisco. 

“We’re trying to make sure before we give him more to do,” Francona. “He’s made a vast improvement.”