Early lead doesn’t last as Cincinnati Reds fall to Pirates

“We did some nice things defensively, but that was about it, beyond Joey’s home run,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “There really wasn’t a lot to be excited about.”

Cincinnati (12-14) saw its two-game winning streak end. It failed in its first chance to get back to .500 since it was 10-10 on April 24. The Reds are 4-12 since a 7-2 start. They have not won a series since winning their first three.

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The first three runners the Reds sent to the plate in the first inning scored. Billy Hamilton and Zack Cozart walked. Votto followed with a three-run home run.

Pirates starter Tyler Glasnow gave up five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Reds on April 10 in a 7-1 loss. He entered the game with a 7.98 ERA in four starts. After that rough first inning, however, he held the Reds scoreless over the next five innings.

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Reds starter Scott Feldman’s night went the opposite way. He retired the first six batters he faced and then allowed one run in the third and six in the fourth. Five of the runs in the fourth scored with two outs.

Glasnow drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single. The next batter, Josh Harrison, hit a three-run home run. Feldman left the game after the fourth. It was his shortest outing of the season.

After three straight strong starts, Feldman (1-3, 4.83) has allowed 11 earned runs in his last nine innings. The Reds have lost five of the six times he has taken the mound.

“Everything just really snowballed,” Feldman said. “I’ve got to do a better job there obviously. The guys came out and put up a three spot in the first inning, and things were looking good for us. Then that fourth inning just got away from me. I had a chance to get out of it, just giving up that one run, and I gave up a bases-loaded hit to the pitcher, which is pretty bad. From there, it got even worse, giving up the three-run home run. I’ve got to do a better job, especially when the guys give us an early lead like that. That’s a game where I need to stick around longer and limit the damage better than that.”