WASHINGTON – So much for all that feel-good playoff energy the Cincinnati Reds built up in New York during their first series out of the All-Star break.
A second loss since then to the National League East’s last-place Washington Nationals, 6-1 July 22, suddenly has the Reds in scramble mode for the series finale to avoid a losing road trip and a sweep by an opponent – a first for the Reds this season.
They’re the only team in the majors that has not been swept this year.
Making his fifth career start since last month’s debut, triple-digit rookie Chase Burns racked up nine strikeouts through his first four innings Tuesday before fading in the fifth and sixth.
He finished with 10 strikeouts for the second straight start – the first pitcher with multiple double-digit strikeout games in his first five appearances in Reds history – but got tagged with his fourth straight loss after giving up five runs over those final two innings.
The Reds led briefly for the only time in the first two games of the series when Elly De La Cruz led off the fourth with a double, took third on a grounder to second and scored on Gavin Lux’s single to center. Lux went 4-for-4.
Josh Bell tied it for the Nats with a one-out homer on a Burns slider in the bottom of the inning.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds lose again in Washington, in danger of being swept by lowly Nationals
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
