The Cincinnati Reds arrived in Seattle riding the momentum of a series win over the Colorado Rockies, but that feel-good stretch disappeared fast on Monday night.
What followed was another lopsided loss, this one an 8-0 defeat to the Mariners that followed a familiar script for Cincinnati. Andrew Abbott gave the Reds a chance for most of the night, but one rough fifth inning cracked the game open and the offense never found a response.
Abbott was sharp through the first four innings, then the bottom of the fifth turned messy in a hurry. Tyler Stephenson couldn’t connect with Edwin Arroyo on a steal attempt, and that mistake let Victor Robles move into second and third. Abbott then walked Randy Arozarena before Julio Rodriguez reached on an infield hit after Elly De La Cruz couldn’t handle the transfer from his glove to make the throw to first, bringing home the game’s first run.
That was all Seattle needed. George Kirby kept Cincinnati quiet all night, holding the Reds to three hits over six innings and shutting them out completely.
Abbott still finished with a line that deserved better. He worked six innings on 100 pitches, struck out six, and allowed just four hits and two walks. It was a strong outing that went to waste once the Reds’ defense and bullpen unraveled around him.
The game stayed within reach until the seventh, when Pierce Johnson couldn’t stop the bleeding. He gave up four runs in just 0.1 inning, and the Mariners kept piling on after that. Caleb Ferguson came in next and surrendered a grand slam to Cal Raleigh, putting the game out of reach for good.
The Reds had looked lively over the weekend, but Monday was a reminder of how quickly things can fall apart when the margin for error disappears. This one followed the same pattern Cincinnati has seen too often this season: a decent start, one bad inning, and then a scoreboard that gets ugly in a hurry.
The series continues Tuesday with Chase Burns set to face former Reds ace Luis Castillo. Burns has put together a historic rookie season and will get another chance to show why his latest contract extension looks like one of the franchise’s best decisions in the last decade.
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