CINCINNATI -- Uneven is a word rarely used to describe a Chase Burns start for the Reds this season. But it fit Tuesday's performance by the All-Star starting pitcher during Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader vs. the Guardians.
Burns allowed five runs -- four unearned -- over five innings while throwing 89 pitches (58 strikes) and left with the game in a 5-5 tie when reliever Brock Burke took over for the top of the sixth in Cincinnati's 6-5 loss against Cleveland. Burns walked two batters and struck out four while slightly lowering his ERA to 2.40 in 20 starts this season.
It was Burns' second start since the All-Star break and after signing a seven-year, $105 million contract on July 18.
Turbulence began right away after José Ramírez hit a one-out single to right field in the first. Second baseman Edwin Arroyo flubbed a Chase DeLauter grounder for an error and then after Burns appeared to get a called third strike on Travis Bazzana, the batter's ABS challenge overturned the call for ball four that loaded the bases.
With two outs and a 2-2 count, Burns threw a ball inside to Kyle Manzardo that he said hit him on the hand. Home-plate umpire Alfonzo Márquez agreed and gave Manzardo first base and that forced home a run until the Reds requested a replay challenge.
The call was overturned and Manzardo returned to the batter's box to finish the plate appearance. But the Reds still didn't get satisfaction because two pitches later, Manzardo slugged Burns' slider into the right-field seats for a grand slam and 4-0 Cleveland lead.
It was the first time Burns gave up a grand slam and the first time that Manzardo hit one. Batters had been 1-for-9 against him with the bases loaded. And Manzardo was 4-for-26 (.154) with 11 strikeouts entering with the bases loaded.
When Burns finally ended the inning with Angel Martínez looking at a called-third-strike slider, the right-hander had already thrown 33 pitches. All four runs were unearned.
Burns bounced back nicely to keep his team in the game while helping preserve the bullpen a little longer. He worked around a pair of singles in the second inning and a leadoff walk to Bazzana was erased when he was caught stealing. A seven-pitch scoreless top of the fourth inning gave Burns 75 pitches and enabled him to return for the fifth inning.
That gave the Reds an opportunity to mount a comeback. Sal Stewart hit a one-out solo home run to center field in the third inning and during a four-run fourth inning, Stewart's two-run single to left field put Cincinnati ahead, 5-4.
However, Burns couldn't hold the lead as Ramirez manufactured his own run after a one-out single in the Cleveland fifth inning. He stole second base, and then third, before scoring the tying run on DeLauter's sacrifice fly.