When the Cincinnati Reds ended their last homestand, they were sky-high with a five-game winning streak and a spot atop the National League Central standings.
Now, they have nowhere to look but up.
The Reds bashed six homers and erased a four-run deficit to send the game into extra innings, but it still wasn't enough in a 14-11 loss in 10 innings Wednesday. The Reds, on a four-game losing streak, were swept in their three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It was the first time the D-Backs swept a series at Great American Ball Park since Aug. 2015. The Reds, who held at least a share of first place for 18 straight days, are now two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the division.
The bullpen’s struggles loomed large in the three-game sweep. The Reds had a one-run lead in the eighth inning Tuesday before they lost 5-4 in the suspended game. They had a 3-0 lead with one out in the ninth inning Wednesday before it turned into an 8-5 loss in extra innings.
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In Thursday's series finale, Carson Fulmer and Sean Doolittle combined to give up six runs on six walks and three hits in the sixth and seventh innings.
The D-Backs erupted for six runs in the top in the 10th inning. Lucas Sims, pitching on three consecutive days for the first time in his career, recorded the last two outs of the ninth inning before he gave up two hits and one walk in the 10th.
Cionel Pérez replaced Sims with the bases loaded and one out, and the Reds trailing by one run. After inducing a fielder’s choice out at the plate, D-Backs outfielder David Peralta lined a 2-0 fastball past diving center fielder Tyler Naquin for a bases-clearing, three-run triple. Peralta had five hits and seven RBI in the series finale.
It was just the second time in D-Backs history that they won a game while giving up six homers in a game.
The Reds had just one hit after a leadoff homer by Jesse Winker until their offense exploded in the sixth inning. Nick Castellanos, back from a two-game suspension, lined a homer over the left-field wall. Two batters later, Eugenio Suárez hit a game-tying, two-run blast off Diamondbacks starter Taylor Widener into left-center.
Suárez was 1-for-19 with no extra-base hits and 10 strikeouts in his last 21 plate appearances entering that at-bat. The ball left his bat at 110 mph, his hardest hit of the season.
In the seventh inning, after the Reds’ bullpen gave up four runs on five walks and two hits, the offense picked up their pitchers. Alex Blandino hit a leadoff double against right-hander Riley Smith and Winker blasted a two-run homer to center. Winker spread his arms like a plane as he rounded first base, the third multi-homer game of his career.
Two batters later, Joey Votto hammered a pitch from right-hander Kevin Ginkel into the seats in left-center. It was Votto’s fourth homer of the season and the 299th of his career.
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Down by a run in the eighth inning – Sal Romano pitched a scoreless top half of the inning – the Reds evened the score when Jonathan India hit his first career homer. His helmet fell off his head as soon as the ball cleared the wall in right-center.
India pumped his fist as he rounded the bases and shouted to himself. His teammates rewarded him with the silent treatment in the dugout before coming together to mob him and rub his long hair.
India has 13 RBI, which is tied with Votto (2008) and Josh Hamilton (2007) for the most by a Reds rookie in April since the RBI became an official statistic in 1920, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
The Reds will head on a six-game road trip, beginning at 8:15 p.m. Friday in St. Louis.
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