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Dodgers 8 Reds 2
I could give you some creative opening line.....or....just keep it simple. The Reds were outclassed Tuesday night in a game that honestly, was tough to watch.
That's five straight losses overall and seven straight dropped to the Dodgers.
The Reds have lost 9 of 12 and are a season worst 21 games under .500 at 23-44....on pace for 56-106.
The Reds led 2-1 after plating a run in the 1st inning and again in the 2nd inning. But they trailed 4-2 by the 8th when the Dodgers broke it open vs Revier Sanmartin (12.15) and Luis Cessa (5.67). Freddie Freeman blasted a bases-loaded triple off Cessa. It was part of Freeman's 3 H, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI night.
The Dodgers outhit the Reds 17 to 5.
Tyler Mahle: 6 IN, 12 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 K, HR, 111 pitches. After tossing nine scoreless innings in his last start, Mahle gave up 1st inning solo homer to Will Smith. He threw a 27 pitch 2nd inning, thanks to some suspect Reds defense. I'm surprised they let him throw 111 after throwing 119 in his previous start. His 12 hits allowed equaled a career high.
Leading man: Jonathan India roped a leadoff homer (107.7mph), his first of the season, snapping an 0 for 10. He hit five leadoff homers as a rookie. He walked to leadoff the 3rd inning.
D for Defense..as in poor: Man, it's tough to watch this Reds defense miss plays and fail to make plays again and again. Jeff Brantley was more than a little irritated at the continued communication issues between outfielders after Nick Senzel and Albert Almora Jr. just avoided a collision.
Making his case: Almora Jr. continues to produce. His 2nd inning solo shot gave the Reds a 2-1 lead. He entered the night hitting .291 over his previous 22 games.
Not the norm, but enough: Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin entered the game 8-0 1.42 having not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his 12 starts....and only four homers. But he was shaky early, allowing the first three Reds to reach. He surrendered solo homers in the 1st and 2nd innings.
But he settled and retired nine batters in a row in the 3rd-4th-5th innings and 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. 5 IN, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K.
Double it: Joey Votto ripped a double and lined a single to reach 1,000 career hits at GABP. He's the fourth Reds player to reach that milestone in their home ballpark (Concepcion, Larkin and Rose).
Snapped: Mike Moustakas (0 for 4) saw his six game hit streak come to an end. He's still looking for career HR 200.....stuck at 199 since May 13.
Missing Tyler: Aramis Garcia is now 2 for 19 in starts since Tyler Stephenson fractured his thumb.
Mop-up man: David Price, making $32M a year, came on to finish things off in the 9th.