MIAMI – Tucker Barnhart swung and missed at a 100-mph fastball from Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara in the sixth inning Saturday, took one step out of the batter’s box and shattered a bat over his right knee.
That moment came five innings after Vladimir Gutierrez walked to the tunnel between the clubhouse and dugout to try to destroy his glove a little bit out of frustration.
It was that kind of a day for the Cincinnati Reds at loanDepot park.
Gutierrez needed 40 pitches to navigate a five-run first inning. Mike Moustakas exited with a hip injury in the second inning. Alcantara overpowered the Reds lineup with a career-high 12 strikeouts. Add it all up and the Reds were handed a 6-1 loss in front of 10,407 fans.
"We were talking about it in the clubhouse after the game, our last three losses have been against (Corbin) Burnes, (Brandon) Woodruff and Alcantara," Barnhart said. "Those are three of, you could probably say, the top 10 arms in the National League and you’re going to take your lumps."
The Reds snapped their five-game winning streak against the last-place team from the National League East. The Reds maintained at least a one-game lead in the wild-card race, pending the result of the San Diego Padres’ game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Gutierrez, who entered Saturday with a 1.86 ERA in his last six starts, had a miserable first inning. Marlins leadoff batter Miguel Rojas opened the game with a ground ball to third base, but Moustakas looked hobbled as he tried to stop it and hopped a couple of times on his left leg as the ball rolled into left field for a single.
