By the time Reds starter Bronson Arroyo addressed the media following Wednesday’s 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Cardinals, he said it felt like yesterday since he had pitched. After a game that lasted 16 innings, saw Cincinnati burn through seven pitchers and took nearly five hours to complete, it technically was.
Before trading runs in the 14th to extend the game, the two teams combined for seven straight scoreless innings. It finally took a solo homer from Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams, who replaced the injured Allen Craig, in the top of the 16th — his second of extra-innings — to hand the Reds the disappointing loss.
“It was a hard-fought game, man,” Arroyo said. “It could have went either way. Both teams gave away some good opportunities, and they capitalized on one more than we did.”
The biggest lost opportunity for the Reds on Wednesday came in the bottom of the 15th inning, which Shin-Soo Choo led off with his second single of the game. After a Brandon Phillips bunt moved Choo to second, he advanced to third on a Joey Votto groundout.
With two outs, Chris Heisey stepped to the plate and attempted to put down a bunt in a 1-1 count. He fanned on the ball, however, allowing catcher Yadier Molina to catch Choo, who had already broke for home, in a rundown and eventually tag him out.
The missed bunt was not a call that came down from manager Dusty Baker.
“You’re not going to lay a squeeze down with two outs,” Baker said. “Heisey, he thought the third baseman was back. He was bunting for a hit, and Choo was trying to score. It looked like he didn’t see the ball go past him, and by then you’re in no-man’s land because he was trying to score.”
Heisey eventually struck out in the 16th, and along with Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, the Reds’ Nos. 3-4-5 hitters combined to go 0-for-19 on the night with two walks, including one that was intentional. They also accounted for five strikeouts, three of which came from Votto, who went a career-worst 0-for-7.
The Reds’ inability to capitalize began about four hours earlier in the first, when they loaded the bases with one out. A popout and flyout later, Cincinnati walked away empty, setting the tone for the rest of the night.
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