One-run games have become a quagmire this season for the Reds, and two main reasons are keeping them stuck in the muck.
The bullpen isn’t holding leads and the lineup isn’t building on them. It was a recipe for another late-inning gut punch Wednesday night as the Reds were 4-3 losers to the Red Sox, leaving the brief two-game series at Fenway Park with a pair of one-run defeats. That extended their Major League lead to 11 one-run defeats in 16 such outcomes.
“This is a second-guesser’s delight and I understand that,” said Reds manager Bryan Price, whose team fell to 15-18 overall.
Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning on a Roger Bernadina RBI groundout. But a chance for a bigger lead was missed, considering Bernadina batted with the bases loaded and no outs. By the bottom of the eighth, the bullpen was unable to hold the too-narrow lead.
Manny Parra walked Mike Napoli with one out and was replaced by J.J. Hoover, who retired none of the four batters he faced. Hoover, who struggled mightily last month but showed improvement in recent appearances, first walked pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes on four pitches. A.J. Pierzynski lofted a soft ground-rule double near the right-field line that scored Napoli.
Following an intentional walk, the go-ahead run scored when Hoover gave up Will Middlebrooks’ hard-grounded RBI single into left field past shortstop Zack Cozart. Sean Marshall entered and struck out two batters to end the inning.
“I can’t walk that guy,” said Hoover, who is now 1-4 with a 9.31 ERA in 12 appearances. “I’ve got to be more consistent with my fastball when I’m coming into a game. I’ve got to get ahead of the guys and at least give myself a chance. Walks are killing me. I’ve got to make that adjustment, pronto.”
Cincinnati’s bullpen is 2-9 with a 4.52 ERA that is ranked 14th out of 15 National League clubs. It has six blown saves out of 11 tries, but the Reds have been without All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman all season. Chapman, who was struck in the face by a line drive March 19, is with Triple-A Louisville finishing up a Minor League rehab assignment.
Price explained why he went with the struggling Hoover in the situation.
“We knew we didn’t have [Sam] LeCure,” Price said. “My concern, really, was if they have a runner on and a chance to win the game, I didn’t want Gomes or [Xander] Bogaerts hitting off of a left-hander in that situation. So when Gomes came in, I knew if we didn’t get a double play that Hoover was going to have to face Pierzynski and I was OK with that. Hoover’s numbers have historically been even better against left-handed hitting. And he’s been throwing the ball great the last three or four or five times.
“This is our group. I have faith in them. They’re not going to get any better if they don’t pitch. I have to keep giving them that opportunity to pitch in those games.”
Reds starter Mike Leake’s chance for a win was voided, but he turned in a sixth straight solid start. Leake completed seven innings and allowed two runs and eight hits with two walks (one intentional) and four strikeouts.
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