“The misery continues,” said Reds TV play-by-play announcer John Sadak on the MLB Network. Field reporter Jim Day followed after the commercial break with the same lament.
For a fourth straight game, the Cincinnati Reds left the field on the wrong side of the scoreboard in a one-run game. The 7-6 win by the Cubs was the third straight final at-bat win in the series, plus the Reds similarly dropped the finale in Pittsburgh in that sweep when the winning run scoring in the Pirates final at-bat.
In closing, Sadak mentioned that the last time the Reds had dropped four in a row with the game decided in the opponent’s final swing was “at least 1910.”
There have been 20 United States Presidents since then, starting with Cincinnati’s own William Howard Taft, who is credited with creating the “seventh inning stretch.”
The Wednesday, May 6 bases-loaded walk of Michael Busch was the fourth consecutive game decided in the final frame in the six-game tailspin of a miserable Reds road trip.
Cincinnati Reds drop 4 straight in 6-game skid by late run
Sunday, May 3 – Oneil Cruz singles in Konnor Griffin with two outs in the bottom of the eighth for a 1-0 lead at PNC Park. The Reds fail to score in the top of the ninth, as they did for the rest of the game. Pirates sweep 9-1, 17-7 and 1-0.
Monday, May 4 – Spencer Steer singles in Blake Dunn with nobody out for a 4-3 lead over the Cubs in Wrigley. Their win probability is 80.9%. No one else scores. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, a Nico Hoerner sacrifice fly scores Pete Crow-Armstrong to tie the game 4-4. With two outs, Michael Conforto homers off Emilio Pagan for a 5-4 Cubs win.
Tuesday, May 5 – The Reds go to the bottom of the eighth with the Cubs’ win probability at 25.5%. Michael Busch homers to tie the game 2-2. The game goes to the 10th with the Reds leaving the ever-popular “ghost runner” stranded at second. Busch continues to be a thorn in the Reds’ side with a single misplayed by Elly De La Cruz, scoring Cubs runner Dansby Swanson from second for a 3-2 victory.
Wednesday, May 6 – Down 4-2 in the ninth, the Reds’ win probability was 28.4%. Spencer Steer homers to cut the lead to 4-3. The Reds load the bases with nobody out to increase their probability to 63.3%. With one out, JJ Bleday singles to tie the game and increase the probability to 71.8%. Elly De La Cruz then hits a sacrifice fly that was able to score Tyler Stephenson and Matt McLain for a 6-4 lead and a 91.4% win probability.
In the bottom of the ninth, Pete Crow-Armstrong homers with Carson Kelly scoring and the Cubs tie 6-6. With two on and nobody out, the Reds can’t score in the 10th. In the bottom of the 10th, Brock Burke walks Seiya Suzuki to load the bases with two outs. Five pitches later, the bothersome Busch walks again and the Cubs “walk it off” 7-6.
Why no ABS challenge?
The first pitch from Burke to Busch appeared to cross the strike zone, yet the Reds didn’t challenge. An 0-1 count might have served Burke’s mental approach better as he eventually went 3-0 before throwing a strike, then the game-ending ball that nearly hit Busch.
Strange night at plate for Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz
De La Cruz was hitless on the night and whiffed twice, yet drove in three of the Reds’ runs. In the first, he grounded out, scoring TJ Friedl for the short-lived 1-0 lead. With the sacks loaded, De La Cruz blistered a ball to right, deep enough to score Tyler Stephenson and Matt McLain thanks to right fielder Suzuki falling in front of the ivy after the catch.
De La Cruz became the first Red to plate three runs minus a hit since Dave Concepcion in 1980. Before that, it hadn’t happened since 1910. It’s the first multi-RBI sacrifice fly for a Red since Alex Ochoa in 2021.
The most bothersome stat may be that the Reds have led the NL Central for 22 days this season and led the Cubs by one game until being dealt the broom treatment in Pittsburgh and dropping the first three of the four scheduled in Chicago. The result? They’re now tied with the Pirates for the NL Central cellar at 20-17.
Cincinnati Reds reliever Tejay Antone returns
In his first appearance with the Reds since April 2024, Tejay Antone threw a scoreless eighth inning. Antone is coming back from his third Tommy John surgery. After his 1-2-3 frame, the Cubs would tie against Graham Ashcraft in the ninth, then rejoice in the 10th on the bases-loaded walk by Burke.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds’ latest loss is 4th straight 1-run game on road
Reporting by Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
