PITTSBURGH, PA − PNC Park has had a way of humbling the Cincinnati Reds. The humbling this time around is happening in the heart of a playoff race for Cincinnati.
Behind rookie pitcher Chase Burns’ latest strong start, the Reds took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates but the Pirates rallied in front of their fans. The last-place, 51-66 Pirates plated two runs in the bottom of the inning off reliever Tony Santillan and pulled off the comeback win, 3-2.
Bryan Reynolds hit a perfectly-placed ball down the right field line that caromed off the side wall. Reds right fielder Noelvi Marte had to adjust his path to the ball, and that allowed two runners to come around on what was eventually ruled a triple even after Marte bobbled the ball while collecting it.
“We had some opportunities to probably spread it (the scoring) out where a mistake doesn’t cost you the game,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “You’ve heard me say that, probably, a number of times… That ball just was perfectly hit. We’re playing ‘no-doubles’ and it hits the carom. So, kind of the perfect storm.”
Cincinnati took the lead in the third inning when Jake Fraley grounded into a bases-loaded double play, although he wasn’t credited with an RBI. The Reds also failed to tack on in the at-bat.
A night after being blanked by the Pirates, Cincinnati went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. The long hit came via Tyler Stephenson, who restored the Reds’ lead at 2-1 in the sixth inning with an RBI double.
The Reds are 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the series.
Meanwhile, Burns went six innings, allowing a lone run on three hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts. The 10-strikeout performance was his fourth in his first eight major league starts, making him the third major leaguer to accomplish that feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Burns, who was coming off a one-inning performance in the Brickyard Classic in which he struck out two, had struck out 10 in his three previous starts prior to the rain-shortened outing.
“I thought he had a couple of long innings. Then he went six,” Francona said. “I thought his last pitch was every bit as good as his first. I thought that was a really big step for him.”
Burns remained winless as a Red and is now 0-3 with a 5.24 ERA but much of his ERA was a result of his outing at Boston, his second in the major leagues, in which he allowed five earned runs in one third of an inning against the Red Sox.
Asked about any frustrations resulting from Burns being winless, Francona downplayed that as a major concern.
“He’s smart enough to know that if he just pitches the way he can pitch, the wins will come,” Francona said. “I’m not worried about him. I’d love to see him get a win. That means we won.”
That wasn’t enough, though, and the Reds dropped their second consecutive game of the four-game set at PNC Park.
A night after Cincinnati couldn’t take advantage of one of the more vulnerable outings of second-year sensation Paul Skenes’ young career, the Reds fell again. They’ll need a win Aug. 9 in order to be able to attempt to take a series split from Pittsburgh.
The Reds are 1-4 at PNC Park in 2025, and 5-14 at the venue since 2023. Asked why PNC Park has been such a troublesome road venue, Reds second baseman Matt McLain couldn’t put his finger on any one factor.
“I don’t really know why it’s challenging (here),” McLain said. “It’s not an excuse or anything like that. We just have to play better… We gotta play the same, no matter who we play. It’s got to be better.”
“It’s frustrating. It’s never fun to lose, especially late in the game like that. We’ll come back tomorrow ready to play. Gotta go game-by-game, pitch by pitch but, you know, we have confidence and we know who we are as a team, and we’re ready to go out there and play tomorrow.”
The Reds, who remained 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the race for the final wild-card spot, are scheduled to send Nick Martinez (9-9, 4.66 ERA) out to begin the club’s push for a series split. The Pirates are scheduled to counter with 25-year-old rookie, Braxton Ashcraft (3-2, 3.24 ERA).
Ashcraft has 17 appearances in 2025 and one start.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘It’s got to be better.’ Pirates come from behind late to down the Reds again
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
