Cincinnati Reds Fall to Giants in Wild Series Finale, 9-8

W: Yusmeiro Petit (1-0)

L: Anthony DeSclafani (2-4)

SV: Santiago Casilla (9)

After blowouts in their previous two games, it seemed like the Cincinnati Reds were headed toward another one on Sunday afternoon. The offense was able to get the Reds back in it, but could never get closer than one run as they fell to the red-hot San Francisco Giants for the third straight game, 9-8.

It was yet another bad start for Reds’ pitching, as Anthony DeSclafani put his team in an early 4-0 hole after two innings. The Reds were able to get a run back in the bottom of the second on a fielder’s choice by Billy Hamilton, but Hunter Pence‘s two-run home run the next inning increased the Giants lead to five. DeSclafani was finished after the third having given up six runs on six hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Just when it was looking like the game was headed toward another blowout, the Reds’ offense came alive in the third. The first three batters of the inning reached to load the bases for Marlon Byrd, who singled to bring home a run. Brandon Phillips was then hit by a pitch and Jay Bruce followed with a long RBI single off the right field wall that was nearly a grand slam. Next batter Hamilton then made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly.

Raisel Iglesias relieved DeSclafani and gave up a run in the fifth, but the Reds were able to answer right back again as Phillips hit a solo home run — his second of the season — to make it 7-6. The Reds ran into a bad luck after that as Skip Schumaker hit a double to right that would’ve easily scored Hamilton, who singled the previous batter, but the ball bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double. Zack Cozart then popped out to end the inning.

The Giants added another run off of Tony Cingrani in the seventh, as Nori Aoki laid down an RBI bunt single with two outs.

Bruce cut the Reds’ deficit to 8-7 in the eighth with a solo home run, but Jumbo Diaz gave the run right back in the ninth as Brandon Belt hit his third home run of the series to stretch the Giants’ lead back to two.

The Reds again got close in the eighth, as Brayan Pena‘s walk was followed by a double from Votto on which the ball got by Aoki in left field. Brandon Crawford‘s throw to third hit Pena and allowed him to score and Votto to get to third, but the Reds couldn’t get the tying run across the plate.

Other Notes

• Just how bad was this series for Reds’ pitching? After a solid start from Johnny Cueto in the series opener, Reds’ starters gave up 21 runs in 11 innings in the final three games. In all, the Giants scored 33 runs in this four-game series.
• Each Reds starter had a hit in this game except for leadoff hitter Zack Cozart. Todd Frazier, Phillips, and Bruce each had multi-hit games.

Up Next: The Reds are off on Monday as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Royals for a two-game series starting Tuesday. Cueto (3-3, 2.93 ERA) will face off against Yordano Ventura (2-3, 5.36 ERA) in the series opener. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.