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The Reds’ offense looked off for most of nine innings and Sonny Gray was good but ineffective at times. The bullpen gave a Herculean effort, though, and retired the final 17 batters, while the offense came alive in the 10th to give the Reds a 5-1 win over the Pirates on Wednesday. With the win, the Reds take the series against the Bucs and find themselves in third place in the NL Central, 3.0 games back from the Cardinals.
Offense
After a very quiet first inning, Mike Moustakas led off the second by launching a Trevor Cahill breaking ball over the wall for a home run (100.1 mph, 396 ft). This was Moustakas’ second home run in the month of May, where he is looking to get it going; so far this month, he has a 51 wRC+ in 33 plate appearances.
Moose is casually hitting .700 against today's starting pitcher. pic.twitter.com/Mvmn2QDl8G
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 12, 2021
Next, Tyler Naquin reached on what was, harshly, scored as an error on Cahill. Despite there being no outs, though, the Reds were unable to even advance him to second.
After this, the Reds’ offense could muster only two singles in the following three innings.
In the sixth, however, now with the game tied, the Reds’ offense showed some life. After Nick Senzel and Jesse Winker both made outs, Nick Castellanos and Moustakas drew two-out walks to put runners at first and second for Shogo Akiyama. Akiyama, however, hit a weak ground ball back to the mound for an easy 1-3 putout to end the inning.
Eugenio Suárez led off the seventh inning with his fourth hit in the past three games before Tyler Stephenson legged out a fielder’s choice that was very close to being a double play. Stephenson would advance to second on a wild pitch, giving Kyle Farmer an RBI opportunity. Farmer’s single into right field was not able to score Stephenson, but with just one out, the Reds now had runners at the corners. After Pirates’ lefty Chasen Shreve struck out Tucker Barnhart on four pitches, Senzel flew out to end the inning.
Winker finally got his first hit of the game to lead off the eighth inning, which was just his sixth hit against left-handed pitching this season. Castellanos then struck out on fastball that seemed slightly out of the strike zone before Moustakas hit a scorching groundball into right field that had a higher EV, 107.4 mph, than his homer earlier. With runners on first and second Akiyama struck out, making Suárez the Reds’ last hope in the inning. He, too, would strike out on a 100-mph fastball.
Outside of Farmer’s third single of the day, the ninth inning was an uneventful one for the Reds’ offense.
With Senzel as the phantom runner at second, Winker led off the tenth inning with a single between short and third that rolled into left field, scoring Senzel. Next, Castellanos ripped a ball into right field for a single, giving the Reds runners at the corners with nobody out. Moustakas walked to load the bases.
This is where things get weird. Having used all their bench bats, Wade Miley was asked to pinch hit with the bases loaded in the top of the tenth. After running the count to 2-0, however, Miley swung at ball three and popped out. But Suárez then hit a huge bases-clearing double to give the Reds a comfortable 5-1 lead. Stephenson would strike out and Farmer ground out to end the inning.
Extra innings = extra fun pic.twitter.com/MFGlabThHH
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) May 12, 2021
Pitching
On the mound for the Reds was Sonny Gray, who, after a combined 19 Ks in the previous two games, was looking to keep it going. Gray got off to a great start with two strikeouts in the first inning.
In the second inning, Gray found himself in some trouble as he allowed a lead-off single to Erik Gonzalez, a fielder’s choice and a single to Ben Gamel. Then, with runners on first and second, a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance. He was, however, able to pitch out of it with a beautiful sinker that caught Michael Perez looking and a groundout from opposing pitcher Cahill.
Despite having allowed three hits in two innings, Gray’s average EV was, at this point, 75.8 mph, so no cause for concern.
After allowing a lead-off walk in the third, Gray got a groundball from Kevin Newman that resulted in forceout at second. Next, however, Gray threw his third wild pitch of the day, which allowed the runner to advance. While his sinker looked great, Gray seemed to struggle with the control of his curveball at times, as the picture below illustrates, which led to the wild pitches.
Gray was not flustered, though, as he struck out both Phillip Evans and Gregory Polanco to end the inning.
In the fourth, Gray was once again in some trouble, but his defense helped him out. After a Gonzalez groundout, which was a really good play from Suárez at third base (xBA .320), Gray allowed a single to Wilmer Difo and a walk to Gamel. Perez then lined out to Farmer (xBA .610) before Cahill flied out to Castellanos (xBA .510).
The fifth inning got off to a great start for Gray as he got a flyout from Ka’ai Tom before Newman hit a bloop single just out of Farmer’s reach. Next, a hit-and-run single by Evans gave the Pirates runners on first and third for Polanco, who then hit a single into right field tying the game. The EV on Polanco’s single was 109.7 mph and was the only hit with an EV over 90 mph for the Pirates against Gray.
Another wild pitch from Gray would allow both runners to advance, but a hard ground ball hit right at Farmer, which he promptly threw home for the out, meant the game was still tied at 1-1. This would be Gray’s final pitch of the day.
Gray went 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out five batters. Gray’s day can best be described as good, not great as he allowed plenty of hits but kept the exit velocities down (81.9 mph avg.). Gray threw mostly curveballs, sinkers and 4-seam fastballs with the occasional slider. Below are Gray’s strikouts:
Taking Gray’s place was right-hander Tejay Antone, who made short work of Difo with a strikeout on four beautiful breaking balls to get the Reds out of a jam. The sixth inning started the way the fifth ended: with a stunning Antone breaking ball for a strikeout, this time of Gamel. After this, Antone induced a groundout from Perez before striking out relief pitcher (yes, you read that right) Clay Holmes for the third out of the inning. Antone threw his sinker, curveball and slider, with the curve working especially well. With the curveball, he didn’t allow a ball to be put in play and had a CSW%, which measures how many of the pitches were either a whiff or a called strike, of 63%.
Left-hander Sean Doolittle was tasked with getting three outs in the seventh. Doolittle got off to a great start by striking out Brian Reynolds on a 4-seam fastball that barely hit the bottom of the strike zone. Newman flew out before Adam Frazier struck out on another 4-seamer. Great inning from Doolittle, who threw almost exclusively 4-seam fastballs that reached 94.2 mph, but also a couple of curveballs.
Next, it was Lucas Sims’ turn to pitch, and the right-hander looked good, getting two strikeouts and a flyout in just 17 pitches, for a 1-2-3 inning. Sims picked up another two strikeouts in another quick inning the bottom of the ninth. Sims threw his 4-seam fastball, curveball and slider. The fastball, which reached 95.5 mph and curveball, with an average vertical break of 44 inches, was an excellent combination for Sims, as he logged two strikeouts on each.
Heath Hembree was asked to get the game’s final three outs in the bottom of the tenth. The right-hander got the first two batters to pop out to second before inducing a groundout to end the game. Hembree threw his 4-seam fastball, which reached 97.5 mph, and his slider.
Stats
Hardest-Hit Balls
- Eugenio Suárez: 111.5 mph | Double in 10th Inning
- Jesse Winker: 109 mph | Groundout in 1st Inning
- Mike Moustakas: 107.4 mph | Single in 8th Inning
Unluckiest Out of the Day
- Kyle Farmer: .520 xBA | Groundout in 10th Inning
Highest Velocities By Pitcher
- Sonny Gray: 95.2 mph
- Tejay Antone: 97.1 mph
- Sean Doolittle: 94.2 mph
- Lucas Sims: 95.5 mph
- Heath Hembree: 97.5 mph
Highest Pitch Spins
- Lucas Sims: 3507 rpm | Curveball
Most Pitch Movement
- Sonny Gray: 60 Inches of Vertical Break | Curveball
- Sonny Gray: 20 Inches of Horizontal Break | Curveball
Team Expected Batting Averages (xBA)
- Reds: .256
- Pirates: .235
What’s Next?
The Reds open a four-game series against the Rockies tomorrow at Coors Field. On the mound for the Reds will be Luis Castillo, while Chi Chi Gonzalez will make his sixth start for the Rockies.
[Featured Image: https://twitter.com/Reds/status/1152002035077640192]
I’m beginning to like this way of doing extra innings, this year’s Reds are good at it.
In that situation, why was Miley swinging at all on a 2-0 count, let alone swinging at ball 3, against a pitcher who was having trouble throwing strikes. I guess he thought it would be cool to pitch a no hitter and hit a grand slam HR in the same series. At least he hit it in the air for only one out.
Maybe he thought “I’m hacking while I got the chance.”
If I make an out, no big deal, no one expects a pitcher to hit.
But if I swing away I can get a hit!
Hembree has now pitched 7 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and only allowing 2 walks.
I can’t even recall a ball that’s been hit hard off him.
Absolutely! Hembree and his 16.7% HardHit% have been a great find for the Reds. So far, he hasn’t allowed a ball to be hit harder than 100.1 mph. That’s crazy even in just 7.2 innings.
I love what Winker does when a single is needed to win a game, just pokes the ball through a hole on the left side. The Reds need him to stay healthy this year.
Suarez has such a beautiful swing, I don’t understand his long slumps. They talk about how when slumping he opens up his left shoulder trying to pull the ball, but his power is to center and right-center, so I don’t understand that either.