In Wednesday’s game between the Seattle Mariners and the Cincinnati Reds, Mariners starter Bryce Miller delivered an impressive performance on the mound. However, in the second inning, the Reds briefly found some hope when Elly De La Cruz hit a 391-foot home run to right field off Miller, giving the Reds a 1-0 lead. Following the home run, catcher Tyler Stephenson drew a walk, providing the Reds with an opportunity to continue their scoring with two outs.
Unfortunately for the Reds, they were unaware that this would be their only offensive output for the remainder of the game. The Mariners’ pitching staff proceeded to retire the next 22 Cincinnati hitters in a row, resulting in a 5-1 Reds loss and a three-game sweep for the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller was exceptional in the game, aside from the second inning. He utilized a challenging combination of a four-seamer, split-finger, and sweeper pitch to give the Reds’ hitters trouble, striking out seven batters, five of them looking. The Mariners’ bullpen continued the strong performance, adding five more strikeouts, bringing the Reds’ total to 12 for the day.
Manager David Bell acknowledged the difficulty of facing pitchers who consistently throw strikes and locate their pitches effectively. He emphasized the importance of keeping perspective and recognizing that it wasn’t a complete loss for the hitters. However, he acknowledged the challenge posed by Miller’s fastball, highlighting the Mariners’ talented arms and their ability to throw with high velocity and precision.
Elly De La Cruz stood out as a bright spot for the Reds once again, contributing a home run and making an impressive defensive play on a ground ball hit by Mitch Haniger in the third inning. Manager David Bell praised De La Cruz’s performance, noting his improvement and comfort at the plate, as well as his consistent dedication to getting better every day.
On the Reds’ side, starting pitcher Andrew Abbott also had a strong outing. He allowed only four hits over six innings and made just two mistakes, which resulted in a solo home run by Cal Raleigh in the second inning to tie the game and a homer by Mitch Garver in the sixth inning to give the Mariners the lead.
