—Reds starter Andrew Abbott retired the first two Rangers in the first inning, but the next four reached base … single, home run, single, inside-the-park home run and Texas led, 4-0.
The never quit, never say uncle, Reds gave it a go but came up a run short and lost, 4-3, dropping two of three in the series.
They put a scare and a fright into the 37,008 in Globe Life Field in the ninth, putting the potential tying and go-ahead runners on base, but it was false bravado, and the Reds didn’t score.
After the first inning, the Rangers managed only two more hits against Lucas Sims, Emilio Pagan and Justin Wilson. Wilson struck out the side in the eighth.
But the first inning was the undoing for the Reds.
With two outs, Nathaniel Lowe singled and Adolis Garcia pulled a 0-2 pitch into the left field seats. Jonah Heim singled, bringing up rookie Wyatt Langford.
He drilled a 3-and-2 pitch off the top of the right-center wall. The ball ricocheted directly right and rolled all the way to the right field foul line. Lankford circled the bases, and his first career home run was an inside-the-parker.
From there, Abbott retired 11 straight and gave up one single into the sixth inning. When he gave up a one-out single to Lowe, he was replaced by Lucas Sims.
Sims issued a walk, then coaxed an inning-ending double play from Heim.
Texas starter Dunning was stunning. He is a stand-in starter because $60 million worth of this year’s pitching payroll is on the injured list — Max Scherzer, Jacob de Grom and former Red Tyler Mahle.
Dunning pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up one earned run and three hits while striking out 10. After the first 13 Reds went down in order, Jonathan India ended any thoughts of a perfect game with a one-out single in the fifth.
The Reds finally rid themselves of Dunning in the sixth, scoring three runs.
Luke Maile started with a leadoff line drive double off the left field wall. Benson singled and took second on right fielder Garcia’s error while Maile scored.
Elly De La Cruz, 0 for 10 in the series, poked a single that sent Benson to third. De La Cruz stole second, his league-leading 18th and Cincinnati’s MLB-leading 50th.
Spencer Steer lined one off shortstop Corey Seager’s glove, and two runs scored when Seager threw the ball away and that cut the Texas lead to 4-3.
Veteran relief pitcher David Robertson made his 803rd major league appearance in the seventh and struck out the side.
Amazingly, Robertson is right-handed, but left-handed batters are helpless against him. He struck out two Reds left-handers, Nick Martini and Jeimer Candelario. Left-handers are 0 for 24 with nine strikeouts against Robertson this season.
Meanwhile, Reds relief pitcher Justin Wilson kept the Reds within one run by striking out the side in the eighth.
Then came some high dramatics in the ninth when the Reds faced Texas closer Kirby Yates.
Jake Fraley grounded out. India singled. When the Reds walked into Globe Life Field on Friday, India was 1 for 32 on the road and ready to torch his road gray uniform.
But his single in the ninth was his second of the game and he was 8 for 12 in the series.
Bubba Thompson ran for India and immediately bolted for second. Umpire Brennan Miller thumbed him out and the Reds challenged. They took a long, long, long look at the replay in the New York review center.
Safe.
Martini walked, putting the potential tying run on second and the potential go-ahead run on first. Candelario struck out for the fourth time.
Josh H. Smith didn’t start the game but pinch-hit in the seventh and remained in the game at third base, a fortuitous move by Texas manager Bruce Bochy.
With Tyler Stephenson and Christian Encarnacion-Strand in the dugout with their wrists wrapped after getting hit by pitches Saturday, Reds manager David Bell was forced to permit Maile to bat, a player with a .172 batting average when the game began.
Maile rocketed a scorching bullet destined for a two-run double in the left field corner, but Smith snagged it to end the game and send the Reds on their way to San Diego.
The Reds open a three-game series Monday night against the Padres in Petco Park.
About the Author