Padres-Reds Game 2 (Doubleheader) Postgame Quotes

May 13, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton (6) triples during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

CINCINNATI- The Cincinnati Reds’ offense was at it again tonight, quiet. After breaking out with 14 hits and five runs in a game 1 win over the San Diego Padres, the second game one run, only three hits, and falling 6-1 to split the double dip.

It also ended the six game homestand, as they went 3-3, and will embark in a six game road trip tomorrow night in Philadelphia against the Phillies.

“It’s very frustrating knowing that we should have won the series, knowing that we’re a better team than what we’re putting out there, and what we put out there tonight,” third baseman Todd Frazier said. “It’s just understanding that we’re better than this.”

Still, there was a chance to take control of the game early from Ross, who walked five batters — including three in the first inning. The Reds were held hitless over the first four innings but had runners on the corners and no outs in the first inning before scratching out only one run.

Billy Hamilton manufactured the run with a leadoff walk and stole second base and third base on consecutive pitches with Heisey batting. After Heisey also walked, Hamilton scored on Brandon Phillips‘ groundout to the shortstop. Joey Votto struck out on three pitches and after a Frazier two-out walk, Roger Bernadina grounded out.

“The kid, Ross, kind of figured it out after that first inning, and really started making some good pitches,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “Sometimes, that’s when you have to try and win your ballgame — in those early innings when guys haven’t settled in. And once he settled in, he made it very difficult for us to establish any type of a rally.”

“There’s no answer for it,” Frazier said. “We were playing against a team where we should win. We came out and got that first run. We couldn’t put anything else up against a guy who was pretty much wild the first couple of innings. Even though he didn’t give up a hit, we were still seeing pitches. It’s the way it goes.”

“Jeff threw fine. Our issue is the fact our bullpen is not getting the work it needs to stay crisp,” Price said. “You look on the card and we have eight relievers today down there and most of them have pitched once, maybe, in the past week. I kind of felt this second game was an opportunity that if Jeff could give us five, for us to utilize the bullpen and give most of our guys an opportunity to get in there.

“That second game was important, in many ways. It was an important game to win, which we didn’t. However, it was also important to rest a couple of guys and get some bullpen guys some work.”

“We know we have a history of being able to produce runs offensively,” Price said. “We haven’t really found our groove. We haven’t run through a streak. We had one for about a week where we were scoring six-seven runs on average per game. I think we’re very capable of being more like that team than the offense that we’ve been working with here lately.”