That set the tone for a 1-0 loss, the eighth time the Reds have been shut out, tying the Pirates for the most in MLB. And four have been by 1-0.
The Pirates have not been good over the last decade, but they’ve won 40 of the last 59 games against the Reds in PNC Park.
The Reds put the leadoff runner on base in the first, fourth, sixth and ninth.
And didn’t score.
Both teams put leadoff runners on base in four innings and neither scored.
The game’s one run came off Reds starter Nick Martinez, an inning the Pirates did not put the leadoff runner on base.
With one out in the sixth, Martinez did what teams do not want to do with Elly De La Cruz. Walk him.
Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz is a clone of De La Cruz. Walk him and he is going to steal second base. Martinez walked him and he stole second, his MLB-leading 17th.
Then Bryan Reynolds, a notorious Reds-killer pulled a 2-and-0 pitch into right field, scoring Cruz.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“Walks are no good,” said Martinez. “Then I hit a guy and Reynolds is a tough hitter.”
Martinez walked only two, also walking Cruz to open the bottom of the first. He gave up one run, four hits, walked two and struck out three.
Entering the game, Martinez had faced 72 batters without issuing a walk. Cruz, though, is a scary visage at home plate and pitchers tend to pitch him carefully.
Martinez has been victimized by no support. His teammates gave him seven runs in a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. But in four other games they’ve scored four total runs.
His opposing pitcher, Barry Falter, has suffered the same malady. . .no run support. But Falter didn’t falter on this night, even though he was 0-and-4 with a 6.81 earned run average for his career against the Reds.
He needed only 79 pitches (55 strikes) to cover seven innings of no runs, four hits, no walk and five strikeouts.
No walks? In his previous three starts, he walked nine but Falter didn’t falter in that category, either, on this night.
As Martinez put it, “One of those nights. Falter was better than I was.”
After Friedl tripled to open the game, Santiago Espinal grounded out, De La Cruz struck out and Austin Hayes popped out.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“I wish we’d scored,” said Reds manager Tito Francona. “But we certainly don’t give up. After that, you say, ‘OK, let’s score in the next inning.”
It didn’t happen, didn’t happen, didn’t happen and didn’t happen.
Espinal led the fourth with a double, then De La Cruz flied to center, Hays grounded out and Spencer Steer took a called third strike.
Connor Joe opened the sixth with a single, but Friedl flied out and on a 3-and-2 count, Espinal struck out and Joe was thrown out trying to steal second on the pitch.
Then came a curious ninth, everybody in the park aware that the Pirates lead baseball with 15 blown leads.
Friedl battled Pittsburgh closer David Bednar for 10 pitches, then singled to right on a full count.
So the Reds had the potential tying run on first with no outs. Isn’t a sacrifice bunt in order? Not on this occasion. Espinal swung at the first pitch and hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
De La Cruz flied to left and the Reds five-game winning streak was over, ended by a team that had lost 17 of 21 and extended its streak of scoring four or fewer runs to 25 games.
Why not bunt?
“Espinal is one of our best hitters,” said Francona.
After Friedl’s game-opening triple, no other Reds runner reached third base.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“We get a leadoff triple and strand him,” said Francona. “We had a double and didn’t score.
“But give that kid (Falter) credit,” he added. “We knew going in he has real good extension, so whatever the (speed) gun says, add to it.
“It is going to get up on you and you could tell by so many at bats. He broke some bats, got past our barrels and got some strikeouts when he needed them. It’s real.”
Pittsburgh’s offensive misery showed up in the seventh and eighth innings.
They loaded the bases in the seventh against Luis Mey and the dangerous Cruz grounded out. No runs.
They loaded the bases in the eighth against Lyon Richardson and Ke’Bryan Hayes grounded out. No runs.
“I feel great,” said Martinez after his record fell to 2-and-5. “I’m challenging hitters, filling up the zone. The whole staff is throwing the ball really well.
“Our two rookies (Mey, Richardson) are doing well in high-leverage situations,” he added. “We just gotta keep going. We’re playing good baseball, we just didn’t come out on top today. We just have to keep pushing.”
Pushing across some runs in tight games would help Martinez and the rest of the starters, immensely.
The Reds are 5-and-9 in one-run games.
NEXT GAME
Who: Reds at Pirates
When: 12:35 p.m.
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM
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