Reds Comeback Fall Short Bullpen Had To Cover For Starters Illness

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The Reds were in trouble early, like 2:30 PM.  Scheduled starter, Nick Lodolo took ill and the Reds had to use a tired bullpen, which gave up eight run in the first two innings, that held off a Reds' challenge in  a 12-9 triumph for the American League East leading Toronto Blue Jays.

The Reds actually out-hit the Blue Jays 15-12 but fell short in its uphill climb.

The New York Mets defeated the Detroit Tigers 12-5 to open a five-game chasm between the Reds and Mets, fighting for the last wild card entry into the playoffs. The Reds dropped to 70-69 with 23 games to play in the season.

Scott Barlow was asked to step in for an ill Nick Lodolo. He pitched yesterday getting two outs in the seventh inning to preserve a lead.

George Springer opened the game with his 25th home run of the season. Springer is now second all-time with 62 leadoff  home runs, second in baseball history to Hall of  Famer, Ricky Henderson, who hit 81 in his career.

Barlow got an out then, walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Daulton Varsho. Alejandro Kirk cleared the bases with a double. Kirk was thrown out at third for the second out. Barlow struck out Davis Schneider to end the inning.  

"It didn't look like he (Barlow) was commanding anything," Terry Francona said. "He was behind, like, boom, boom, boom."

The Reds got a run back against Jose Berrios. Noelvi Marte doubled with on out. Elly De La Cruz singled him home.

Bruce Sutter was next up out of the Reds bullpen. Andres Gimenez singled to start the inning. Isiah Kiner-Falefa forced him at second on a star play by third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. The relay to first by Matt McLain was a step late. Springer blooped a hit to right to send Kiner-Falefa to third. Guerrero grounded a single to right. Bo Bichette followed with his 18th home run of the season. 

At that point, Bichette was 5-for-5 with two home runs, two doubles and a single.

The Reds pounded Berrios in the bottom of the inning. Jose Trevino doubled with one out. McLain followed with an RBI double. TJ Friedl grounded out with McLain going to third. It enabled him to score when Marte reached when Kiner-Falefa's throw pulled Guerrero off the base at first. De La Cruz walked and Austin Hays launched the first pitch by Berrios into the second deck in left field for his 13th home run of  the season.

"That's all we could do, today" Hays said. "It was unfortunate the bullpen couldn't go. We knew the offense would have to pick us up. We had good at bats and kept playing. We had good at bats up and down the lineup. If Marte isn't running down the line, I don't get a chance to hit in that inning. We played hard but at some point you have to give credit to the guys over there. They never took their foot off the gas."

Springer struck again off Suter in the fourth. Suter hit Kiner-Falefa with a two-strike pitch. Springer hit his 26th home run and second of the game. It is the 28th time Springer has homered twice in a game in his career.

Zach Maxwell  relieved Suter. He got out of the inning on five pitches. Guerrero singled but he retired Bichette for the first time in the series by inducing a 4-6-3 double play.

The Reds nicked Eric Lauer in the fourth. Friedl singled to open it. After two out Hays doubled home Friedl, his fourth RBI. Gavin Lux singled to score Hays and bring the game back to a two-run margin.

Varsho hit his 17th run in the seventh inning. Connor Phillips gave it up, the only his off him in his two innings.

Reiver Sanmartin entered to face the Blue Jays in the eighth. He has not pitched in the Major Leagues since May 7, 2023. The Reds selected his contract to bolster its tired bullpen. 

Friedl homered off Seranthony Dominguez, his 11th. It was his first home run since July 25th. It made it an 11-9 game. Marte doubled. De La Cruz grounded to first, bring Hays to the played representing the tying run. 

A passed ball with two outs in the ninth allowed Gerrero to score after he reached on a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third.

"You look up in the second inning and you're down 8-1," Francona said with a shrug. "We kept playing and gave ourselves a chance."