Ineffective Pitching Ends Reds 5-Game Winning Streak 10-4 To Yankees

Ineffective pitching certainly hurt the Reds as they fell 10-4 in the series opener against the New York Yankees as their five game winning streak came to a screeching halt.

The Yankees got the scoring started almost immediately as they put up a three spot in the first inning with a two run single from Gary Sanchez and an RBI single for Didi Gregorius. In the second inning, the Yankees got an RBI single from Aaron Hicks to extend their lead to 4-1. Gregorius made it 5-1 with an RBI sacrifice fly and that proved to be the difference in the game, but the Bronx Bombers were not done there. In the seventh inning, Yankees scored two on a bases loaded RBI hit by pitch from Chase Headley and an RBI single from Ronald Torreyes to make it 7-1 effectively making the contest harder for Cincinnati to win. In the eighth, Brett Gardner extended their lead to 9-4 with a two-run home run. One out later, Matt Holliday hit a solo home run to make it 10-4.

The Reds offense might have scored four runs, but the offense was held in check most of the night despite pounding out 10 hits. There were multiple opportunities, including a bases loaded nobody out situation in the fourth inning where they didn’t even plate a run. However, they were able to get a three runs on the board thanks in part to Joey Votto’s bat as he had an RBI single in the first inning to cut the deficit to 3-1 and jacked a two-run home run, his 10th of the season, to make it 7-4. Adam Duvall chipped in with an RBI single in the fifth inning to make it 5-2, but outside of those two players, the offense could not muster any offense. However, there was a bright spot outside of Duvall and Votto as Arismendy Alcantara, who pinch hit in the fifth has now produced a hit in his last seven plate appearances, eight of his last nine, and nine of his last 12. Of Alcantara's nine hits in his last 12 plate appearances, five have been pinch-hits.

Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka was effective as he threw seven innings allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits while striking out six and walking one to earn his fifth victory and to move to 5-1. Redlegs starter, Rookie Davis, who was facing the organization who drafted and then traded him to Cincinnati, struggled as he went 4.1 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while allowing three walks and struck out four to suffer the loss and fell to 1-2 on the season. Cincinnati fell to 17-15 while the Yankees improved to an incredible 21-9 record.

The Reds will look to Tim Adleman (1-1, 4.22) tomorrow night in hopes of salvaging the series finale while the Yankees will counter with C.C. Sabathia (2-1, 5.45). The game time start will be 7:10 and it will be the final game on the homestand before they head to San Francisco to start a seven-game roadtrip that includes an off day.

Player of the game: Joey Votto takes the very first award of Under The Redlegs’ Sun Player of the game as he went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.