With TJ Friedl sitting this one out, Matt McLain batted leadoff and reached on an infield hit to third base, a hard hit ball over the third base bag that Amed Rosario stopped, preventing a double.
Santiago Espinal, batting second (he has batted in five different spots in the order and played five different positions), singled to deep shortstop.
Two on, no outs.
Elly De La Cruz grounded into a fielder’s choice, Noelvi Marte grounded into a fielder’s choice and
Spencer Steer struck out.
Two on, no runs.
From there it was no offense. The Reds had five hits — three infield hits, a legitimate late-game single by Marte and a home run by Tyler Stephenson.
So the Reds lost the series two games to one and the way it went is habitual. Dating back to last season, when the Reds have split the first two games of a three-games series, they have lost 20 of 23 of third games of a series.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
And they wasted a rock solid pitching performance by Nick Martinez — six innings, one run, four hits, no walks and six strikeouts.
After the Reds frittered that first inning opportunity, the Nationals scored a run in the top of the second on a double by Nate Lowe, a single by Keibert Ruiz and a sacrifice fly by Luis Garcia Jr.
That 1-0 deficit lasted only until Tyler Stephenson led off the bottom of the second with a home run down the left field line to tie it, 1-1.
It was still 1-1 when the Reds batted in the fifth during a heavy rainfall. The umpires, though, perhaps knowing they had a plane to catch, permitted them to play on.
And what a bizarre fifth it was.
Gore - wearing uniform No. 1, a rarity for a pitcher - threw first-pitch balls to all five hitters that inning. And he went to 3-and-2 on all five.
He walked Blake Dunn on a full count. But when McLain missed a bunt, Dunn was thrown out at second base.
McLain walked on a full count and Gore struck out Espinal on a full count called strike three.
Then, at first glance, Elly De La Cruz appeared to give the Reds a 3-1 lead with a line drive into the left field seats. The umpires called it fair, then on a crew chief review, ruled it foul... and replays clearly showed the ball went just left of the foul pole.
Reds manager Tito Francona offered no dispute.
“I didn’t let myself get too overboard on it (the foul ball) because it was foul and I knew it,” he said. “Then for a second I thought, ‘Maybe it hit the foul pole.’ But I saw it left (of the foul pole) and we knew.”
Gore then delivered a 3-and-2 pitch to De La Cruz, ball four, and Gore slipped on the muddy mound and fell.
While the Washington trainer checked him out, the Great American Ball Park organist played Toto’s ‘Africa,’ with the lyrics, “I bless the rains down in Africa,’ when he also could have played ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.’
Gore continued and went to 3-and-2 on Marte and struck him out on his 100th pitch.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Gore left after five after giving up one run and four hits while walking four and striking out nine as MLB’s leading strikeout pitcher.
The Reds, though, put one lonely runner on base over the final four innings against the Nationals bullpen, 13 up and 12 down.
The game got away from the Reds in the seventh inning when usually reliable Graham Ashcraft was charged with three runs.
With one out, Garcia homered to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead. Alex Cole singled and took second when right fielder Espinal misplayed the hit for an error.
Dylan Crews, 0 for 23, singled and Brent Suter replaced Ashcraft. C.J. Abrams extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run double and a 4-1 Washington lead.
When an interviewer suggested that the wet mound might have affected Ashcraft, Francona took the high road.
“I don’t know about that,” he said with a scoff. “I just think he left a couple of pitches where he didn’t want to. He proved he’s human. You are going to give up runs, that’s the way the game is.”
Martinez was upbeat about his performance and appreciative of Stephenson’s game-tying home run.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“I was in a good rhythm with my mechanics,” he said. “I felt free and was able to attack the zone. Even my misses were pretty good. The command of my off-speeds was way better, too.”
Stephenson, playing only his third game this season and second behind the plate, drew Martinez’s high praise.
“He looks great,” said Martinez. “He’s a veteran presence, really. He’s a really smart hitter and obviously knows how to command the staff. He’s really come into his own and (the team) should extend him.”
Francona is not only on the same page, he is on the same paragraph, minus suggesting a contract extension for Stephenson.
“It’s good, man, it’s good, especially against the left handed pitching,” he said. “He gives us a big bat and when (Austin) Hays comes back that will really help. He’s gonna be OK.”
The Reds open a four-game series in Atlanta Monday night, then travel to Houston, where Hays is expected to come off the injured list and play.
NEXT GAME
What: Cincinnati at Atlanta
When: Monday, May 5, 7:15 p.m.
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM
About the Author