Relief corps' rare slip-up spells trouble in series finale

CINCINNATI -- Especially during an earlier stretch when runs were hard to come by, the Reds bullpen was a big reason for the club's strong start. On Sunday, during an 8-3 loss to the Tigers that prevented a three-game series sweep at Great American Ball Park, Reds relievers could not hold a slim lead in the later innings.

After it combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings in Saturday's win, the bullpen entered the day with a Major League-best 2.59 ERA. On Sunday, the group combined to allow six runs, with three coming via home runs.

Given a 3-2 lead, Brock Burke was able to work out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth after a double and a pair of four-pitch walks. But the line couldn't be held in the top of the seventh.

Sam Moll came in with a 1.50 ERA and a streak of 3 2/3 scoreless innings over his last four appearances. The seventh opened when leadoff batter Gleyber Torres reached on a rare fielding error by third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Pinch-hitter Hao-Yu Lee followed by hitting a 1-0 fastball from Moll to right-center field for a two-run homer that put the Tigers ahead. It was Lee's first big league homer.

“You’re going to give up runs sometimes," manager Terry Francona said. "We figured they’d probably turn a guy or two around. I think [Torres] was hitting .105 off lefties. They pinch-hit with Lee and he was hitting .143, and he whacked one to right-center. It didn’t work out, certainly, the way we drew it up.”

Pierce Johnson, who hadn't given up a run in his last 8 2/3 innings over nine appearances, gave up two runs after replacing Moll. Johnson tried to throw a 1-1 fastball to Spencer Torkelson and paid for it. Torkelson hit a one-out solo homer to left field. It extended Torkelson's homer streak to five games, tying a Tigers’ record.

Jose Franco, who was recalled on Saturday from Triple-A Louisville, gave up a Torres two-run homer to right field in the eighth.

Here are two other things from the Reds loss:

Lowe, Bleday go deep

Home runs have been bountiful for the Reds -- they have 15 over their last five games, including 10 in the Detroit series. It is the third-most they've collected in a three-game series since 1900 and most since hitting 11 vs. the Rays in 2005.

The Tigers hit nine homers over the fence in three games against the Reds.

“I do think the ballpark drastically played smaller. It was noticeable," Francona said. "Ball goes to right [field] and you maybe hold your breath.”

As the Tigers led, 2-0, in the second inning, Nathaniel Lowe hit a full-count pitch from Keider Montero for a homer to right field. For Lowe -- who has filled in for the injured Eugenio Suárez as the designated hitter -- it was his fourth homer in the last three games.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, JJ Bleday hit a 2-2 pitch from Montero to right-center field for the game-tying homer. Bleday was playing his first regular-season game with the Reds after being recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

“It’s always great to come in and do something like that," Bleday said. "The crowd has been great the past two days, kind of seeing that atmosphere and playing in that atmosphere. Obviously, it was a bummer not coming up with a ‘dub’ today but it was good getting the series.”

Lowder overcomes long first inning

For the second start in a row, Reds starter Rhett Lowder navigated some heavy first-inning traffic. During a 30-pitch top of the first, Detroit took its two-run lead on Kerry Carpenter's two-out, bases-loaded two-run double to right field.

Lowder gave up a pair of two-out singles in the second inning, but then retired 10 of his last 11 batters. Overall in his five innings, he allowed two runs, six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.

“This first inning felt a little bit different than the other one," said Lowder, who threw 94 pitches. "I was getting two strikes in this one and they’re a team that doesn’t really chase that much. You kind of knew that. I kept trying to get them to chase and it kind of came back to bite me.

“We kind of flipped the script on them. They didn’t chase a ton, so I feel like a couple of strikeouts looking where I could go to the corners. If I make a good pitch, I knew they’d probably take it. I had a couple of those.”