Reds Drop Game To The Nationals As Alexis Diaz Gives Up A Two-Run Lead

  

Washington Nationals rallied against Alexis Diaz and the Reds to take down the Reds 7-6  in a sloppy game.

Alexis Diaz allowed an RBI single to Winker. The Nationals loaded the bases with one out. Diaz hit Ruiz with a pitch that forced home the tying run. Brent Suter allowed a sacrifice fly by Rosario to put the Nationals on top. Diaz gave up three runs to tip the game to Washington.

"I think he got squeezed early on,"Luke Maile said referring to the walks issued by Diaz. "Then we had traffic on the bases and he had to be careful with certain hitters. He made some good pitches but they had better swings. He threw the ball ok."

Sloppy fielding played a role in the Reds' demise. Three catchable pop flies contributed to the Nationals offense.

"There were plays we usually make and we're going to," David Bell said. "Hunter threw the ball well. Things happened behind him that didn't go his way.

Jonathan India led off the bottom of the eighth with a single off Hunter Harvey. Bubba Thompson pinch ran and stole second. Candelario walked with two outs. Opening day hero, Nick Martini pinch hit for Espinal. Martini came through with a two-run double.

Washington pitcher Patrick Corbin and Reds' starter Hunter Greene took a scoreless game into the fourth inning.

The Nationals scored first. Former Red Jesse Winker walked in the fourth and took third on a double by Joey Meneses. Greene struck out Joey Gallo, looking. Keibert Ruiz hit a pop fly that fell between Stuart Fairchild and Elly De La Cruz. Winker took off for home and beat the tag from Luke Maile.

The Reds had a chance to score off Corbin in the second inning. Santiago Espinal singled and stole second. Fairchild grounded a single through the hole at shortstop but Winker's throw beat Espinal to the plate.

Jeimer Candelario hit a Cobin pitch into the left field seats to tie the game. It was his first hit as a Red. He started the last season with Washington before moving on to the Cubs at the trade deadline.

The Reds' defense let them down in the fifth inning. With one out, Greene walked CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas. Winker hit a foul pop down the right field line. Christian Encarnacion-Strand backed off at the last second Will Benson couldn't make the sliding catch. Winker hit a high chop to pitcher's mound that glanced off Greene's glove. The missed chance at a double play, loaded the bases. Meneses hit a fly to shallow center that Fairchild caught but didn't throw home. Abrams scored.

"We can't give them outs, we know that. It was windy but you have to blame some of it on communication.," Maile added.

Greene left trailing 2-1 with Justin Wilson recording the final out of the inning.

Greene threw an even 100 pitches over 4 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits and four hurtful walks. He struck out seven.

"Hunter threw the ball well. Things happened behind him that didn't go his way," Bell said.

Greene lost control in the fifth with a pair of walks that led to a run.

"There were times I couldn't feel my legs," Greene said. "It was adrenaline. I have to make pitches and I don't want to throw my team under the bus, but there was stuff that happened behind me that I can't control."

The Reds first five batters reached base off Corbin in the fifth inning. De La Cruz bunted for a base hit. He beat the throw from Ruiz but overslidr the base. The out call held up after replay. Fairchild followith his second hit. Luke Maile hit his first home run of the season. Benson doubled and scored on a single up the middle by Jonathan India. 

Fernando Cruz replace Wilson after a scoreless inning. Cruz finished the sixth but Abrams tripled to open the seventh. He scored on a wild pitch. Cruz turned the ball over to Lucas Sims after striking out four of the five batters he faced.

Ruiz hit his first home run of the season off Sims to tie the game at four. It was his third hit of the game.

Trey Lipscomb took former Red Nick Senzel's place on the roster. Senzel fractured his right thumb taking ground balls in pregame practice on Thursday. Lipscomb hit .400 for the Nationals in spring training but was sent down to get playing time. He singled in his first Major League at bat. 

Senzel and Lipscomb both played baseball at the University of Tennessee.