The Cincinnati Reds are 20-14 after falling two games back of first place in the NL Central. The club concluded a difficult weekend on Sunday. They suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. This completed a three-game series sweep.
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MLB Game Recap
Chase Burns and Braxton Ashcraft traded zeros in a dominant pitcher’s duel that remained scoreless until the eighth inning. Pittsburgh broke the stalemate. Oneil Cruz hit a two-out RBI single off reliever Tony Santillan (1-1). This hit allowed Konnor Griffin to score. Burns’ final line (7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 7 K, 94 pitches) was wasted as the Reds managed only four hits and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
Standout Performer
Chase Burns retired 16 consecutive batters after a leadoff infield single to Cruz, lowering his season ERA to 2.20. He finished with 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 7 K, throwing 59 of 94 pitches for strikes. His dominant performance stabilized a pitching staff that had allowed 26 runs over the previous two games.
Key News & Notes
Cincinnati made significant changes to its bench Sunday. The team recalled Zach Maxwell and Blake Dunn. They also optioned Rece Hinds and placed Pierce Johnson on the bereavement list. Manager Terry Francona praised Burns’ “masterful” outing, noting it was the rookie’s first time pitching into the eighth professionally. Nick Lodolo is expected to be activated on Friday following a 4.1-inning rehab start where he tested his blister with 16 sliders.
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Farm Report
- AAA (Louisville Bats): Edwin Arroyo went 3-for-4. He scored four runs and had two walks. It was in a 14-8 win over Omaha to clinch the series.
- AA (Chattanooga Lookouts): Dominic Pitelli launched a grand slam, but the Lookouts fell 10-9 to Birmingham.
- High-A (Dayton Dragons): John Michael Graham went 4-for-4. He hit a home run and two doubles. The team faced a 15-7 loss to Lansing.
- Low-A (Daytona Tortugas): Jacob Friend posted three hits and three RBIs. Daytona beat Fort Myers 5-2. This victory secured their first series win of the season.
Looking Ahead
The Reds open a four-game series today against the first-place Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chase Petty is expected to be recalled from Triple-A to start the series opener.
Chase Burns looks like an ace, but the bats need to wake up for this critical Chicago series. What do you think?
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