Baseball's an intricate game because everything, down to the smallest detail, matters. A pitch, a heads-up play, or one at-bat can have a profound impact on a game.
In Saturday's loss to the Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Mike Moustakas offered a glaring example of how the little things can evolve into big things.
Moustakas has been struggling, hitting .111 over Cincinnati's last 15 games, but his at-bat on Saturday in the fifth inning was a good indication that he might not be far away from finding his form, and sometimes an at-bat doesn't have to result in a hit to change a game.
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With the Reds trailing 3-2, Brandon Drury hit a leadoff single that was followed by a pair of fly-ball outs to center field from Tommy Pham and Joey Votto. Tyler Stephenson singled and Kyle Farmer walked to load the bases with two outs.
Moustakas dug in against Washington's Jordan Weems and after two pitches, he was behind in the count 0-2.
“I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and obviously that guy throws hard and has good stuff," Moustakas said after Saturday's game. "I got down in the count pretty quick and tried to shift my sights over to left field and let the ball travel a little more."
Nine pitches and six foul balls later, Moustakas was headed to first after an 11-pitch RBI walk that tied the game and kept the bases loaded behind him for Albert Almora Jr., who promptly pounced on a grand slam to give the Reds a 7-3 lead.
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“Hitting and having good at-bats is contagious," said Moustakas. "We had pretty good at-bats all the way up to my at-bat. It’s just one of those things where it kind of trickles down the line and Almora got a great pitch to hit and didn’t miss it. I got some pitches to hit and I fouled them off and was able to work a walk. He got his pitch and hit a grand slam, pretty special, that doesn’t happen too often. It was pretty cool to watch that.”
Reds manager David Bell said Moustakas' at-bat was a great example of why baseball's such a great game.
“That's why it's a team game and it's a lineup and it all kind of works together," Bell said. "Moose has been having some really nice at-bats and you know, great job by Albert obviously with the big grand slam, but you're exactly right like that at-bat from Moose set up Albert to be in that situation. That takes a toll on a pitcher when you have an at-bat like that, to have to now get the next guy out. It's tough. So it had a lot to do with it. That's why it's such a great game. Every pitch matters.”
The Reds weren't able to hold that lead, but the search for the little things is a season-long endeavor, and finding a spark or a sliver of momentum can make all the difference.
Vladimir Gutierrez injured
GUTIERREZ TO THE IL: The Reds announced Sunday that reliever Vladimir Gutierrez has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday.
Gutierrez is dealing with forearm soreness.
“He has forearm tightness. Hopefully, it’s nothing. Well, it’s enough to put him on the IL," Bell said Sunday. "He’s going to need that amount of time just to work through it. He’s going to continue to be evaluated to make sure it’s nothing more serious. As of right now, he’s tight and sore.”
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Gutierrez began the season as a starter, moved to the bullpen last week, and made two relief appearances.
Gutierrez, through team interpreter Jorge Merlos, told reporters Sunday that there's a different preparation that goes into starting a game versus a relief appearance.
"That last time after my start, I pitched two days after and then two days after that. After this past one, I just felt like my arm was way too tight afterwards," Gutierrez said. "Maybe now after I take these next two weeks and try to prepare myself as a reliever instead of as a starter. Luckily yesterday from what the ultrasound said, it just seems like it's tight in there, but tomorrow we'll see, we'll have an MRI to figure out if there's anything else going on in there."
The Reds recalled right-hander Jared Solomon from AAA Louisville. This is Solomon's third stint this season with the Reds. He's made five appearances, thrown 4 ⅔ innings, allowed three hits, two earned runs with six strikeouts.
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