Cincinnati Reds’ loss in 17-innings to the San Francisco Giants continues to linger

Despite the fact that it was only one loss for the Cincinnati Reds, the 17-inning loss to the San Francisco Giants is still hurting this team.

Between the wear on the Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen, the injury to Billy Hamilton, and the loss of what little faith there was in the slow to develop Robert Stephenson, that one loss has derailed a once promising season for the Reds.  It was the first loss in a seven game losing streak and ended a four game winning streak for the Reds vs. the Giants.  The Reds were 19-15 before the game and solidly in the National League Central race.

The Reds’ bullpen was noticeably drained that day as six of the eight pitchers on the roster at that time pitched.  Only Raisel Iglesias and Barrett Astin didn’t get into the game.  Blake Wood, Austin Brice, and Robert Stephenson all had to pitch multiple innings, while it was the second game in a row for Michael Lorenzen and Drew Storen.

A more immediate note was the injury to Billy Hamilton’s calf.  He missed his first game of the month the following day.  He also took almost two weeks in between stolen bases in large part because of the calf injury during the best month of his career.

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The real damage to the Cincinnati Reds was to their psyche of invincibility when they couldn’t get a run in against the Giant relievers.

The Giants used seven different relievers including only two for the last five innings of the game.  The Reds, though, were never able to break through to score a run.  Instead, they only had six hits and five walks after Johnny Cueto left following his stellar 8 innings.  Eleven baserunners over nine innings is not good enough in this situation.

In the ten games since then, the Reds have only scored more than 5 runs once.  In the previous nine, they scored more than five three times.  So their offense was coming down to earth just as Hamilton took off.

Before that game the Reds were averaging 6.4 runs per game, including three games against the Giants.  In the ten games since then, the Reds are only averaging 4.6 runs per game.  The Reds are built to score and that is a noticeable drop-off.  This is especially painful when you are relying on starting pitching bust Robert Stephenson to keep you ingames.

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The Reds need to get their groove or mojo or psyche or whatever back.  Before that loss to the Giants, the Reds were going up against the elite teams in all of baseball.  Not only that, but they were holding their own.  Now they hold  their breath with an overtaxed pitching staff on the mound.