7 straight walks?! It hadn't happened in almost 43 years
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PITTSBURGH -- Walks will haunt, they say. Seven consecutive walks? That's a pitching-staff nightmare.
And it tied a Major League record that has only happened twice previously, with the last time coming nearly 43 years ago.
In the bottom of the second inning during the Reds' 17-7 loss to the Pirates on Saturday at PNC Park, Reds starting pitcher Rhett Lowder and reliever Connor Phillips combined to give up walks to seven straight batters, resulting in a five-run inning as 10 batters came to the plate without notching a hit.
Lowder, who already scuffled through a five-run first inning that saw nine men bat while he threw 31 pitches, struck out Oneil Cruz to open the bottom of the second before the wheels came off, as the Reds entered the bottom of the second trailing 5-3.
Brandon Lowe drew a walk after being in a 2-2 count. Bryan Reynolds was in a 1-2 count before Lowder lost him to another walk. A four-pitch walk to Ryan O'Hearn loaded the bases and brought out manager Terry Francona to take the ball from his rookie right-hander.
After Cincinnati used its bullpen heavily in Friday's 9-1 loss to the Pirates, Francona turned to a fresh arm in Phillips. It did not stop the walk parade.
Phillips, who came in tied for the MLB lead among relievers in walks, gave his first batter Nick Gonzales a free pass on four pitches to force home a run. After he had Marcell Ozuna down 1-2, Phillips walked him. Then it was another four-pitch walk to Spencer Horwitz, and Konnor Griffin became the seventh in a row to walk after he had been in an 0-2 count.
Henry Davis stopped the streak when he grounded into a fielder's choice for the rally's fifth run.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the last two times a team walked seven straight batters were:
• Aug. 28, 1909: White Sox batting vs. the Washington Senators in the second inning
• May 25, 1983: Jim Bibby and Jim Winn of the Pirates combined to do it in the bottom of the third inning at Atlanta
It was also the first time since April 27, 1994, that a team allowed at least five runs in an inning without giving up a hit. That's when the Mariners allowed that line to the Yankees in the third inning.