They put their first two runners on base in the second inning and didn’t score.
They put their first two runners on base in the sixth inning and didn’t score.
“We had a real good opportunity early and didn’t cash in,” Reds manager Tito Francona told reporters after the game. “We’ve seen it time and time again. We had a few chances and we didn’t cash in enough.”
Mostly, not at all.
Martinez gave up only two hits in six innings, walked one and struck out seven.
He made only one mistake and it landed in the left field seats. He left a 93 miles an hour sinker too high and Yoan Moncado drove it the opposite way into the left field seats in the fourth inning, tying it 1-1.
The Reds scored first in the third inning on a leadoff double by Ke’Bryan Hayes and a two-out run-scoring single by Noelvi Marte.
That extended Marte’s hitting streak to 11 games and gave him 12 RBIs during the streak.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
But that was it.
Miguel Andujar led the second with a double and Austin Hays singled. But Spencer Steer struck out and Jose Trevino hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
TJ Friedl opened the sixth with a single and Marte singled again. Elly De La Cruz lined hard to left field and Taylor Ward made a diving, sliding catch. Andujar forced Marte at second and Hays grounded out.
“Elly’s ball, the line out, was the big play of the game,” said Francona.
So it was 1-1 when Graham Ashcraft entered the game in the eighth.
Bryce Teodosio dropped a bunt up the third base line for an apparent hit. But Francona argued that the ball hit Teodosio on the arm before it rolled up the third base line.
The umpires conferred and ruled it did hit Teodosio, so it was a foul ball. Teodosio then ripped the next pitch for a double, took third on Ashcraft’s wild pitch and scored on a bloop excuse-me hit dunked into short left field for what was the winning run.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“We thought we caught a break on the bunt single,” said Francona. “Looking back I should have shut up and stayed in the dugout.
“Then Ashcraft left a breaking ball up ... he just didn’t command very well,” he added.
Martinez, though, was a different story.
“He was terrific,” said Francona. “The one home run to left-center was the only thing. He was terrific.”
The Reds couldn’t do much against Los Angeles left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi — one run and seven scattered hits.
“Kikuchi has enough velo to get a good fastball by you,” said Francona. “But sometimes when you let a good pitcher off the hook he takes advantage.”
Martinez admitted that he is doing some scoreboard watching involving the New York Mets.
“We’re still right there and I love the intensity that we’re playing with,” he said. “I was (watching the scoreboard), but I don’t know if anybody else was.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“I think, though, we should just focus on what we can do, focus on the game ahead of us,” he added. “We’re in a good spot and we’re playing good baseball. Whatever happens the next few days, we just have to keep playing good ball.”
While the Reds fell to 16-18 in one-run games, the Angels thrive in them. They’ve played 38 one-run games and have won 23.
And they are fairly good at coming back. They’ve now come from behind to win 36 times.
After a day off Thursday, the Reds open a three-game series Friday night in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
NEXT GAME
Who: Cincinnati at Arizona
When: 9:40 p.m.
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM, 700-AM
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