Nine outs away from recording its third series sweep of the month, the Cincinnati Reds’ MLB-best bullpen allowed six runs in an eventual 8-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers in front of 31,377 fans at Great American Ball Park on Sunday, April 26.
Chalk the Reds’ issues in series finales as a good problem to have as the calendar shifts to May. Six of the Reds’ 10 losses (18-10) this season have been in the final game of a series. The Reds are still 6-2-1 in nine series overall.
Leading 4-3 in the seventh inning, Sam Moll came on in relief. The frame began with two-time Gold Glove Award winner Ke’Bryan Hayes making just his second error of the season on a grounder to his left. Two pitches later, Detroit pinch-hitter Hao-Yu Lee hit his first career home run to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead.
Detroit added plenty more from there. Pierce Johnson came in from the bullpen and gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, Spencer Torkelson, who tied a Tigers record by going deep in five consecutive games. Kerry Carpenter followed with a triple to right field and scored on Matt Vierling’s sacrifice fly to center.
One inning later, Tigers’ rookie phenom Kevin McGonigle walked against Jose Franco and Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer to right to cap the game’s scoring.
The Tigers and Reds combined for 18 home runs, tied for the most in a three-game series in the history of Great American Ball Park.
“I do think the ballpark drastically played smaller,” Reds’ manager Terry Francona said. “It was noticeable.”
The Tigers got off to a hot start in all three games this weekend. Sunday was the first time they finished strong. Detroit took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame on Carpenter’s two-out, two-run double off of Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder.
Lowder labored early, throwing 49 pitches over the first two innings, but stranded four baserunners. He got in a groove by striking out the side in the third and retired 10 of the final 11 hitters he faced.
“To his credit, he went out, it was a high pitch count after a couple of innings, gave us five (innings) and he looked way more like Lowder after that,” Francona said.
Lowder has thrown at least five innings in 11 consecutive starts since going just four in his MLB debut against Milwaukee in 2024. After trying to get Detroit hitters to chase early, Lowder was on the attack down the stretch of his outing.
“I feel pretty good with how I’m doing,” he said. “There’s obviously stuff you learn every week. I feel like I can throw the ball better, for sure.”
Trailing early once again, the Reds played long ball to even the score. Nathaniel Lowe, who wasn’t in the lineup to begin the series on Friday, hit his fourth homer of the weekend with one out in the second inning.
Making his Reds’ debut, outfielder JJ Bleday launched a game-tying solo shot to right field in the fourth inning off of Detroit starter Keider Montero.
“It’s always great to come in and do something like that,” Bledey said of his home run. “It was a bummer not getting the (win) today but it was good getting the series.”
The Reds took their lone lead of the game in the fifth inning when Hayes sliced a triple down the right-field line. He scored two batters later on Matt McLain’s double down the left-field line. Hayes has five hits over the last four games and McLain had more RBI this series (5) than he had all year (3) before the Tigers came to town.
The Reds combined for 10 homers against Detroit pitching, tied for their third-most in a three-game series since 1900.
“It’s a byproduct of good swings,” Francona said of the power surge.
Detroit’s bullpen was lights out as the quartet of Brant Hurter, Will Vest, Kyle Finnegan and Brenan Hanifee allowed just two hits over four shutout innings.
Nick Lodolo throws 5 shutout innings in rehab assignment
Reds’ left-hander Nick Lodolo, who began the season on the IL (blister), tossed five shutout innings over 51 pitches in his rehab assignment with the High-A Dayton Dragons on Sunday, April 26.
Lodolo got the win as Dayton shutout the South Bend Cubs, 3-0.
“He had to go out and throw a bullpen after just to get him a little bit more,” Francona said. “He actually threw the ball really well.”
Cincinnati Reds host Colorado Rockies after off day
The Reds will end the month with a three-game series at Great American Ball Park against the Colorado Rockies beginning on Tuesday, April 28.
Chase Burns (2-1, 2.57 ERA) is slated to start the series opener against Colorado.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tigers crush Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen in series finale, avoid sweep
Reporting by Shelby Dermer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
