Bullpen takes brunt of hard-luck loss to D-backs

Reds relievers let extra-inning lead, game slip away

August 27th, 2016

PHOENIX -- The Reds bullpen is ranked 29th in ERA this season, while the D-backs are one spot back at the bottom of the league. With second-half improvement, the Reds haven't pitched like their ranking much lately, but it found a creative way to let a win slip away.
The culmination was a wild pitch to in the bottom of the 11th inning that scored for a 4-3 walk-off loss on Friday night.
"Those are the tough ones," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "You come back and battle and work to get the lead and today we weren't able to hold it. We've been pretty good with the back end of the bullpen with leads. Today we just weren't able to get it done."
Cincinnati battled back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game and force extra innings and then inched to a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th. , who came in with a 0.82 ERA in his 19 relief appearances this season, pitched a scoreless ninth and was back for the 10th.

Iglesias uncharacteristically created his own drama and it began when he lost the leadoff batter, pinch-hitter , with a walk to start the 10th. A wild pitch with one out to moved Gosselin to second base. Still pitching to Pollock. Iglesias stumbled during his delivery and held the ball, resulting in a balk. A fielder's-choice grounder by Pollock scored the tying run.
"It slipped away from us, it was a game that was there for us to win, we fought hard to get the three hits with two outs in the ninth to tie the game," Price said. "We were able to take the lead and then things fell sideways there."
Wood gave up a chopped one-out double to Drury in the 11th and the runner advanced on a groundout. Wood walked with two outs to compound his trouble.
On a first pitch to Segura, Wood bounced a 96-mph fastball short and away from the plate that catcher , who was set up inside, could not corral as Drury scored.
All Wood could do was receive Cabrera's late desperation throw to the plate and toss it over his shoulder in frustration.
"They hit a chopper -- obviously the ground is super hard -- and the guy was able to get the double. That hurts but you can't do much about it," Wood said. "With the guy on third, I was just trying to throw a fastball down in the zone. I threw it a little too far down. That was it."
It's been somewhat of a tough week for the Reds' bullpen. After having a 2.55 ERA over 38 games from July 5 to Aug. 21, it gave up a season-high 12 runs and 12 hits in 6 2/3 innings vs. the Dodgers on Monday.
"I don't think it changes anything," Wood said. "Tonight, we pitched poorly. There are games where you don't pitch well and don't give up runs. Other games, you pitch fine and give up runs."