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Rockies 11 Reds 6
Well, that escalated quickly.
Given a 5-0 lead into the 5th inning Wednesday, Graham Ashcraft and the Reds bullpen gave it back and then some as the Rockies beat the Reds 11-6 to take the series at Coors Field.
The Rockies sent nine batters to the plate in scoring 5 runs in the 5th inning and then sent 10 more batters to the plate in scoring 6 more runs in the 6th inning. That's 19 batters and 11 runs over two innings.
The Red drop a series to a last place team in which two of their Big 3 (Hunter Greene/Ashcraft) lost games. Their lone win came from rookie Brandon Williamson in his big league debut.
So much for coming home with the feel good momentum of a series win and winning road trip. Instead, they finish trip a disappointing 3-3 and now stand 19-24 on the season. A year ago they were 13-30.
Ashcraft: Given a 5-0 lead into the 5th, he could not hold it. 5.0+ IN, 10 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 80 pitches/55 strikes. The 10 hits ties a career high. Ashcraft allowed 8 runs in 1.2 innings two starts ago. His ERA has jumped from 2.00 to 4.84 over his last three starts.
Bullpen: Sims 0.1 IN, 2 H, 4 R, BB, HBP. He replaced Ashcraft in the 6th, allowed two inherited runners to score and then allowed four of his own to score. He entered the week having not allowed a run in 11 consecutive appearances.
Silvino Bracho 1.2 IN, 0 R........Kevin Herget 1.0 IN, 0 R.
David Bell shuffled the lineup for the Rockies LHP and rest: Jonathan India was the DH, Kevin Newman 2B, Jose Barrero SS, Luke Maile C and Stuart Fairchild moved into the cleanup spot. They all contributed.
Hey, Jose! Barrero got the start and delivered 2 hits and 2 walks. He nicely executed a DP that got Ashcraft out of 1st inning jam. He climbed the ladder to rob a liner and save two runs in the 5th inning.
Quotes of note:
"The best thing that may have happened to Jose Barrero was a kid named Matt McLain" -The Cowboy
"That's a totally different kid at the plate than we've seen at any point since he's been in the big leagues" -The Cowboy
Hello again, Newman: He singled and scored in the 2nd inning.
Luke, you are the starter: Maile delivered an RBI 2B and 424-foot HR. Per Bally Sports it's his first game with multiple extra base hits since 2018.
Rolling: Nick Senzel singled to extend his hit streak to six games and walked. He made another sweeeeet play when he charged a grounder and made the play.
Fairly nice day: Fairchild 2 H, 2B, 3 RBI
Reds run production
2nd: Jose Barrero RBI 1B 1-0
2nd: Luke Maile 2-out RBI 2B 2-0
5th: Maile HR 3-0
5th: Stuart Fairchild 2-run ground rule double 5-0
Offense: 2 hits Barrero, Maile, Steer, Fairchild
I'll say it: I could not watch 81 games a year at Coors Field. It's just a Mickey Mouse ballpark, from altitude to dimensions. I like offense as much as the next guy, but that park so skews the game, it's not fun to watch. It's slow-pitch softball.
Next up: Off Thursday. Yankees come to GABP Friday-Sunday
The Reds will wear the new Nike City Connect uniform for the first time.
Ceremonial First Pitch: George Foster – Reds Hall of Famer who caught the last out of the 1976 World Series featuring the Reds and Yankees.
Honorary Captain: Sam Hubbard – Cincinnati Bengals defensive end
Game Ball Delivery: Nick Hagglund – FC Cincinnati defender is a Cincinnati native (Lakota West High School) and Xavier University alumnus.