The Cincinnati Reds winning streak came to an end on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. The Pirates scored the only run of the game in the 6th inning and were able to hold on for a 1-0 win to even up the 3-game series.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (25-25) | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates (16-33) | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| W: Falter (3-3) L: Martinez (2-5) SV: Bednar (4) | |||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Reds wasted a great opportunity in the 1st inning after TJ Frield led off the game with a triple but he was left stranded there. Pittsburgh didn’t do themselves much better as Oneil Cruz walked and stole second base with no outs, and eventually wound up at third with two outs but found himself stranded there, too.
There weren’t many more chances for either side on to bring a run in until the bottom of the 6th inning. Nick Martinez got himself into trouble as he walked Oneil Cruz for the second time in the game. Andrew McCutchen was then hit by a pitch to put two men on and Bryan Reynolds cashed in with a single into right field to bring Cruz around for the first run of the game. Martinez got an easy double play to follow when Joey Bart grounded the ball to shortstop and then fell just outside of the batters box, making an easy turn of two and end the inning.
In the bottom of the 7th inning the Pirates got to face Luis Mey. He started the inning out with a ground out and a strikeout, but then he got himself into some trouble. He hit Ke’Bryan Hayes then gave up a double on a ball down the line to put runners at second and third. Mey then walked Jared Triolo to load the bases. The rookie reliever clamped down, though, and got a ground out to second base to end the threat and keep the Reds deficit at a single run.
Lyon Richardson took over in the 8th for Cincinnati and didn’t have the best inning as he took a comebacker off of the leg, but recovered to turn it into an out. He also had to work around an error that loaded the bases with two outs, but he got a ground out to end the threat and send the game to the 9th inning with his club needing just one run to tie things up.
The Pirates sent reliever David Bednar to the mound to try and pick up the save against the top of the Reds lineup. TJ Friedl didn’t make it easy on him as the two battled for 10 pitches before Friedl singled into right field to begin the inning. Santiago Espinal did make it easy, though, grounding into a double play on the first pitch he saw to leave the game in the hands of Elly De La Cruz. The shortstop would fly out to left field where Alexander Canario made a sliding catch to end the game in a 1-0 Pittsburgh win to even up the series.
Key Moment of the Game
Bryan Reynolds driving in Oneil Cruz in the 6th inning for the only run of the game.
Notes Worth Noting
TJ Friedl was the only Red to get on base twice in the game as he went 2-4.
Spencer Steer extended his hitting streak to nine games. He’s hitting .261 in May after hitting just .188 through the month of April.
The Reds didn’t walk in the game and had five strikeouts. Reds pitchers walked and struck out four batters in the game.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates
Wednesday, May 21st, 12:35pm ET
Brady Singer (5-2, 5.01 ERA) vs Andrew Heaney (2-3, 3.02 ERA)
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