Even with an extra day of rest created by Monday’s rainout, Reds left-handed starter Tony Cingrani seemed to lack pep in his step and his fastball velocity was a few digits below normal.
Cingrani did not figure in the final decision, a 9-4 loss to Cubs on Wednesday, but his night set the tone for a blah peformance all around.
In only four innings, Cingrani threw 79 pitches before he was lifted. He allowed three runs and six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. In his fourth and final inning, Cingrani’s normally low-to-mid 90s mph fastball was topping out at 89 mph.
“It did drop a little,” said Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who hit a booming two-run homer to center field in the first inning. “He’s got a good fastball that has good run to it. With him, it’s just about getting a pitch over the plate and hitting. Fortunately enough we got to him early.”
On the plus side, Cingrani denied that there was anything wrong, health-wise.
“I was just a little fatigued,” Cingrani said. “I was just laboring. That was it.”
Rizzo’s homer was one of three straight long drives to center field. The first inning has been difficult for Cingrani, who has given up seven runs over the first inning in six starts this season and six runs combined over his other 26 1/3 innings pitched.
“Other than the St. Louis game [April 2], when he was really on top of his game and really electric, I think he’s been finding his way,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “Especially early in the games of the other starts. We just want to make sure that he’s strong and really able to command his fastball. When push comes to shove, we’ve talked a lot about his fastball, but when he’s got his velocity and his command, there’s not as much need for the off-speed stuff.”
The Reds evened the game in the bottom half against Cubs starter Edwin Jackson, with Todd Frazier hitting a two-run double off of the left-field wall to score Joey Votto and Jay Bruce.
Brayan Pena led off the second inning with his first homer for the Reds, hitting Jackson’s 2-0 pitch into the visitor’s bullpen in right field. Jackson then retired 10 of his next 11 batters and the Reds would soon play from behind the rest of the night.
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