Reds Fall In Game Two To Split Header.
By Jesse Mapati
Jul 23, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Greg Reynolds (40) pitches during the fourth inning in the second game of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants at AT
The Reds were looking for the rare double header sweep against the San Francisco Giants but it wasn’t meant to be as they fall in game 2 of the double header 5-3 on late Tuesday night at AT&Park.
They Reds were the home team in this game wearing their white pants and their red jersey what they usually wear on Sunday home games. It was very interesting to watch I must say Greg Reynolds was making his Cincinnati Reds debut on the mound and the Giants jumped all over him in the first inning. Pabalo Sandoval doubled to deep center with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out scoring to two to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. Hunter Pence next singled to center scoring Sandoval to make it 3-0.
In the top of the second inning Gregor Blanco sac fly to right scoring Brandon Crawford on a close play at the plate as Jay Bruce made a great throw but Corky Miller couldn’t apply the tag giving them a 4-0 lead. Reds offense finally got to stater Barry Zito in the second Jay Bruce singled to center then Todd Frazier singled to right. With one out Corky Miller double on the line to right bringing both runners home to cut the lead to 4-2.
Reynolds settled down after that but got into trouble in the top of the fifth after getting the first out he allowed three straight singles to load the bases with one out. Brandon Belt grounded out to second good enough to get the run in from third to make it 5-2. He does get out of the inning limiting the damage and keeping the Reds in the game. His final line five innings pitched, five runs, seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
In the bottom inning Jay Bruce singled to center then Todd Frazier doubled to deep center scoring Bruce to cut it to 5-3. The offense had opportunities to tie or take the lead in every inning they had either the tying run on or the go ahead run on the plate. Its why the Reds are near the bottom in the league hitting with runners in scoring position.
They had a chance in the bottom of the ninth Bruce lead off with a single off Giants closer Sergio Romo but then he struck three straight batters to end the game. Bruce and Frazier each collected three hits of their own. With the loss the Reds still remain five out in the NL Central and will give the ball to Mike Leake looking for his 10th win of the season tonight and he will be opposed by Chad Gaudin of the Giants. First pitch is at 10:15pm.