Cincinnati Reds: Three takeaways from doubleheader vs KC Royals

The Reds won one and lost one on Wednesday night versus the Royals.

The postponement of Tuesday’s game resulted in a seven-inning doubleheader on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium. The Cincinnati Reds dropped the first game versus the Kansas City Royals by a score of 4-0. However, the Redlegs rebounded to take the nightcap from KC behind a masterful performance from Trevor Bauer. What did we learn?

It was a night of give and take for the Reds. Poor defense, a bloop single and a questionable strike zone put the Royals up early in Game 1 of the doubleheader and Brad Keller did what Brad Keller does – he stymied the Cincinnati offense. Keller went the distance and didn’t allow a hit until Tucker Barnhart found the outfield grass in the top of the sixth inning.

In Game 2, the story was Trevor Bauer. The Reds right-hander followed the lead of Keller from Game 1 and quieted the Royals bats. It wasn’t until a line drive to right field by Adalbereto Mondesi in the bottom thee fifth inning that Kansas City got its first and only hit of the night. The Reds blanked the Royals 5-0.

The Reds were playing their first game since Friday, after a player tested positive for COVID-19. Major League Baseball exercised an abundance of caution and kept Cincinnati off the field until last night in the Show Me State. Speaking of which, what did the Reds show us or not show us during last night’s doubleheader?