Reds Give Up Three Home Runs, Fall 5-3 to Mets

Cincinnati Reds pitchers gave up three home runs in Monday’s game, falling 5-3 to the New York Mets at Citi Field. Michael Conforto and Lucas Duda each hit home runs off Raisel Iglesias. The final blow, however, was Neil Walker hitting one to the right field seats in the bottom of the seventh off one of the recent bullpen call-ups, J.C. Ramirez.

Meanwhile, the Reds’ offense was stifled by Noah Syndergaard for most of the game, managing to get only one run on five hits through six innings off the young phenom pitcher. The Reds were able to chase Syndergaard from the game with two outs in the seventh, but could not capitalize off the rest of the Mets bullpen.

It may not have had a good ending, but the Reds did do some things well in Monday’s game:

Two-Out Hits

This is something the Reds have struggled with in recent years, but in Monday’s game, a couple of players came through with the two-out hits. Zack Cozart got a single into right field to bring the Reds within one run, and after a walk to Eugenio Suarez, Joey Votto drove one to the gap in right field to tie the game. Yes, these two are established players, players who should be getting the clutch hits, but it gives the younger players an example to look to for instruction and teaching, That’s what this season is about.

Swiping Bases

The Reds may not have been able to figure out Syndergaard at the plate (6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 9 SO), but they were able to steal at will against him. Brandon Phillips, Suarez, and Ivan De Jesus Jr. each had one, and Billy Hamilton swiped two bases in one inning for a team total of five.

Syndergaard also threw away a ball on a pick-off throw in the seventh, letting Tyler Holt advance to second. Holt would eventually score. If he has a weakness, we certainly saw tonight that it is holding runners on.

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Good, Not Great, for Iglesias

Iglesias started his fifth game of the season and pitched decently. It wasn’t a dominant start, but it still was a solid start. In five innings pitched, Iglesias gave up eight hits, three earned runs, two walks, and seven strikeouts. His only two mistakes were the home runs he gave up to Conforto and Duda. Because of those two home runs, his ERA went from 3.09 to 3.49.

Iglesias has been a solid starter in this time of shakiness for the starting rotation. But the one area in which he needs to improve is being more efficient with his pitches. On Monday, he only made it through five innings because his pitch count was up around the 100-pitch mark. For comparison, Syndergaard didn’t hit the 100 pitch mark until the seventh. If Iglesias can be a little more efficient, it will only make him a better pitcher than he already is.

Notes:

• Phillips extended his hitting streak in New York with a single in the second. He has now recorded a hit in all 33 career road games against the Mets, the longest current road hitting streak for all active players against any team. Phillips left in the fourth inning after being hit on the hand during an at-bat. X-rays were negative on his left ring finger.
• Aside from the home run Ramirez gave up to Walker, the bullpen was not bad tonight. Of course, the only other reliever to pitch was Caleb Cotham, who pitched a scoreless eighth.
• Finally, congratulations to Jay and Hannah Bruce, who became parents tonight to Carter Bruce, born at 9:08 p.m. ET.