The final score doesn’t quite reflect how the game felt for much of it, but all that matters is what happens for the entirety of the game. And when the final out was recorded the Houston Astros had 10 runs and the Cincinnati Reds had none. The first game of the homestand was just a continuation of the road trip and Cincinnati has lost eight consecutive games.
Nick Lodolo returned from the injured list and needed just 11 pitches to get through the 1st inning thanks to inducing an inning-ending groundball double play. Things didn’t go as well in the next inning. He would give up a 2-out triple off of the wall in right center before giving up a 2-run home run to Zach Dezenzo to put Houston on the board first.
Cincinnati would only have one baserunner in the first three innings – Elly De La Cruz on a double in the 1st inning. But in the 4th inning they would get something going. JJ Bleday led off with a walk and then back-to-back 1-out singles would load the bases. The Reds were unable to capitalize on the chance in front of them, though, as a lazy fly ball to shallow right field and a strikeout ended the inning with all three runners staying put.
Lodolo had been in cruise control through the 5th after giving up the 2-run homer. He entered the 6th having thrown just 60 pitches. But the lefty hit Jose Altuve with a pitch and then gave up a 2-run home run to Yordan Alvarez as the Astros made it a 4-0 ballgame.
Houston would tack a run on in the top of the 8th inning when Jose Altuve doubled to begin the inning and then came in to score on a groundout. With a 5-0 lead the Astros turned the game over to their bullpen after Mike Burrows kept the Reds offense quiet for seven innings. Matt McLain led off with a single off of AJ Blubaugh, but Cincinnati couldn’t bring him around the bases and the game headed to the 9th with the visitors still up by five runs.
Things got worse for the Reds in the 9th. Tony Snatillan gave up hits to the first two batters of the inning before Zach Cole and then Christian Vazquez hit back-to-back home runs to make it a 9-0 ballgame. That led to Santillan exiting the game and backup catcher Jose Trevino taking the mound for the 4th time in the last 10 days. He would give up three straight singles to allow another run in the 9th before getting the final three outs.
Elly De La Cruz would single in the bottom of the 9th inning but they couldn’t get anything else going as they went quietly into the night and dropped their 8th game in a row as the home crowd rained down boos after Spencer Steer struck out to end the game.
Key Moment of the Game
In a 10-0 game you could pick from a few of them, but let’s go with the bottom of the 4th inning when the Reds had the bases loaded with one out against a pitcher who hasn’t been good all year and came up empty in a 2-0 game. Breaking through there could (or certainly could not have) changed the entire way the game played out.
Notes Worth Noting
“It’s embarrassing” – John Sadak in the 9th inning. That pretty much says it all, but I’ll keep on typing about the game because that’s my job.
While the pitching staff gave up four home runs in the game, the Reds hitters had five hits. Elly De La Cruz had two of those hits. He also had the three hardest hit balls by a Red in the game (108, 105×2).
Spencer Steer’s hit streak ended at 10 games.
Tony Santillan didn’t allow a run in his first 11 games of the season. In his last six games he’s given up nine of them and his ERA now sits at 5.17 through 15.2 innings.
Mike Burrows entered the day having made seven starts for Houston this season and his ERA was 5.97. He had allowed multiple earned runs in every start. He have given up eight home runs on the season. On Friday night he put together his best start of the year as Cincinnati’s offensive woes continued.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros vs Cincinnati Reds
Saturday May 9th, 4:10pm ET
Spencer Arrighetti (4-0, 1.96 ERA) vs Chase Burns (3-1, 2.20 ERA)
