MLB Playoffs: 3 takeaways from the Reds extra-inning loss to the Braves

1. The Reds wasted a brilliant start from Trevor Bauer.

If Trevor Bauer doesn’t win the NL Cy Young Award this season, then something is terribly wrong with the voting process. Bauer dominated the Braves on Wednesday afternoon, but his effort was all for naught, as the Reds walked away losers 1-0. Bauer’s career in Cincinnati could very well be done if the Reds don’t rally to take Games 2 and 3.

When the lights are at their brightest, Trevor Bauer shines. Bauer went 7.2 innings, threw 103 pitches, allowed just two hits and struck out 12 batters. In case you were unaware, the Atlanta Braves offense is really, really good. The Braves .832 OPS was the best in all of baseball this season.

It mattered not to Bauer, who mowed down batters, inning after inning. His only hiccup was a double surrendered to Ronald Acuna Jr. in the sixth inning. But Bauer bounced back recording the next three outs and stranded Acuna Jr. at second base.

Unfortunately for Trevor Bauer, the Reds offense did not show up. Scratch that; the Reds offense did not show up when it mattered. Cincinnati mustered 11 hits and had more than their fair share of opportunities to score. But the Redlegs stranded 13 runners on base, were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and couldn’t get that elusive two-out knock to break the game open.