In what has become an important series in the race for the final NL playoff spot, the Cincinnati Reds’ offense hit into three double players late in the game and failed to get the win in the first game of the last home series of 2025 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Pirates (68-89) |
4 | 8 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (80-77) | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| W: Hunter Barco (1-0) L: Brady Singer (14-11)
SV: Dennis Santana (15) |
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| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Pirates jumped onto the scoreboard first in the second inning when Brady Singer allowed a one-out double to Jack Suwinski, followed by an RBI single to Nick Yorke. Alexander Canario doubled down the left field line to score Yorke and make it 2-0. After a strikeout, Singer looked like he might escape the inning with minimal damage, but O’Neil Cruz lifted a home run just over the left field wall to give Pittsburgh a 4-0 lead. The Reds would cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the 2nd with a leadoff walk from Spencer Steer and an Elly De La Cruz home run that he basically hit to Newport, Kentucky.
Singer settled down after the second inning. He allowed just the four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts through 5.1 innings. The Reds bats, however, did the same. They stranded runners on base in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The Reds’ best opportunity was in the sixth when they had Steer and De La Cruz at first and third, with a Pirates pitcher making his MLB debut on the mound, and Matt McLain hit a weak ground ball to shortstop on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
Connor Phillips came on in relief of Singer in the sixth with one out and a runner on first. He promptly struck out both Pirates batters he faced on seven pitches. He also pitched a scoreless seventh. Graham Ashcraft and Scott Barlow also both pitched scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th to keep the game at 4-2. However, in front of 29,847 fans, the Reds’ offense just couldn’t get the job done late in the game. De La Cruz walked in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate, but Matt McLain would hit into the third double play in as many innings to end the game.
Key Moment of the Game
O’Neil Cruz’s home run in the second inning that extended the Pirates’ lead from 2-0 to 4-0 proved to be the difference in the game.
Notes Worth Noting
-De La Cruz’s home run in the second inning was hit 415 feet into the moon deck at GABP with an exit velocity of 106.3 mph.
-Connor Phillips has allowed no runs and no hits with 12 strikeouts and two walks in 7.1 innings over his last six appearances.
-After a large campaign by the Reds players and the Reds marketing department to #packGABP, nearly 30,000 fans showed up at the ballpark tonight. By all reports on social media, they were loud at times and very in tune to what was happening in the game.
Up Next
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds
Wednesday, September 24th, 6:40 PM EDT
Paul Skenes (3-3, 2.03 ERA) vs. Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.74 ERA)
The post Reds Waste Scoring Opportunities; Lose 4-2 to Pittsburgh appeared first on Redleg Nation.