Reds blow big early lead vs. Nationals, lose for 10th time in 12 games
The Cincinnati Reds shook up the lineup, batted around in the first inning for a big lead, then lost to the Nationals in 10 innings anyway.
After the Cincinnati Reds got trounced in the series opener of this week’s series against the Nationals, manager Terry Francona huddled with his two bench coaches and general manager Brad Meador long after the game to talk about their ailing lineup. “I said, ‘Let me hear it,’ “ Francona said. By the time the next game rolled around, so had many names in the Reds lineup, with 3-4 hitters Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart moving up a spot each for the first time this season, and slumping leadoff man TJ Friedl joining slumping Matt McLain at the bottom.
And then the Reds batted around in the first for a five-run lead. Now if they could just fix the pitching. Including all those walks.
They might need an all-nighter for that one. And a bigger room. The 55 home runs allowed this season – including the no-doubter off Tony Santillan in Wednesday's 10th inning – haven't helped.
Daylen Lile's third home run in two nights – this one more than halfway up the right-field bleachers – gave the Nationals a two-run shot and the 8-7 series-clincher. Spencer Steer nearly tied it in the bottom of the 10th on a line drive to the top of the wall in left, but a fan who caught the ball just out over the wall was ruled to have interfered, keeping the hit to a run-scoring double instead of the tying homer – a call "confirmed" after an umpire crew review. It dropped the Reds to their 10th loss in 12 games this month.