Cincinnati Reds: Raisel Iglesias rewards David Bell’s confidence

Raisel Iglesias entered the game in the 8th inning and stayed through the 9th. The Cincinnati Reds’ closer rewarded his manager’s confidence by striking out the side and securing the 5-4 victory for the Reds.

Tanner Roark didn’t have his best stuff on Monday night, but the Cincinnati Reds‘ bullpen picked him up to the tune of 5.1 innings of shutout baseball. David Bell was wheeling and dealing all night long, but no decision was bigger than leaving in Raisel Iglesias, who pitched in the eighth inning, to finish off the game. Iggy rewarded his manager’s faith with a flawless ninth inning.

The Reds took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning and that lead was quickly cut in half. Roark, the Reds’ starter, was missing his spots, walked 4 batters on the night, and was quickly yanked after walking in a run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Wandy Peralta didn’t do much better when he gave a free pass to the only batter that he faced and allowed the tying run to score on a four-pitch walk. Peralta’s night was quickly over after he recorded a ground out against Michael Conforto to end the Mets’ surge in the fourth inning.

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Over the next three innings, the combination of Michael Lorenzen, Amir Garrett, and David Hernández shut down the Mets’ bats to the tune of just one hit and one walk. Lorenzen, Garrett, and Hernández each recorded a strikeout along the way.

With the backend of the New York Mets lineup due up in the eighth and the scored still knotted a 4, David Bell turned to Raisel Iglesias. Iglesias made short work of Ahmed Rosario with a 2-0 pop out to left field. Juan Lagares then laced a double into left field and represented the go-ahead run, now in scoring position.

Iglesias settled in versus the pinch hitter Dominic Smith and recorded the second out of the inn gin before intentionally walking Jeff McNeil in order to get to the Mets’ big bopper Pete Alonso. That was a gutsy move by David Bell considering how well Alonso has been hitting to begin the 2019 season.

Iglesias’ first pitched was a slider that missed off the plate. Iglesias then reared back and delivered a fastball which Alonso just watched clip the strike zone. Iggy then threw back-back-back changeups that resulted in a Alonso swinging and missing.

The Cincinnati Reds avoided disaster in the eighth inning and then watched Jesse Winker power a homer over the right field wall in the top of the ninth inning to give them a 5-4 lead. The Mets’ 3-4-5 hitters were due up in the ninth and David Bell had a decision to make. Rather than dip into his bullpen for perhaps Jared Hughes or Robert Stephenson, Bell stuck with Iglesias. Iggy did not disappoint.

Raisel Iglesias rewarded his manager’s confidence with a perfect ninth inning. Iglesias mowed down Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto, making both of them look silly swinging at his changeup. Todd Frazier then struck out swinging to end the game, Iglesias pointed to the sky, and the Reds left Citi Field with a 5-4 win.

Jesse Winker’s ninth blast will get the majority of the headlines, but it was the performance of the Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen that shined brightest underneath the New York City light’s last night. The Reds try to make it two in a row when Luis Castillo toes the rubber for Cincinnati tonight.