Big Pod Machine: Do the Reds have any early All-Star candidates beyond Hunter Greene?
Reds Beat Reporter Gordon Wittenmyer and Sports Reporter Pat Brennan discuss the current state of the Cincinnati Reds.
Fanduel Sports Network analyst Jeff Brantley questioned the Cincinnati Reds‘ defensive communication on a play in the bottom of the 9th inning of Tuesday night’s loss to the Braves in Atlanta.
Former Red and pinch-runner Stuart Fairchild scored on a double by Michael Harris II against Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan with one out. Reds catcher Jose Trevino was just late with the tag on Fairchild at home after a relay from second baseman Matt McLain on the throw by outfielder Jake Fraley.
Fairchild’s run tied the game at 1.
“McLain hesitated when he got the ball from Fraley,” Brantley said. “And that hesitation caused him a split-second of indecision. You can see that no one was telling McLain what to do with the baseball. That’s the job of Spencer Steer. And there was no communication there at all. McLain had turned around and was looking to see where the runner was. And that’s why you have that communication while your back is turned to the infield. … There’s no way that runner should’ve scored from first base there.”
“There was a hesitation, but (McLain) was on his way over to set up the play at home,” Reds manager Terry Francona told reporters afterward. “So he was going back, because the throw was going more toward second. So there was a few things happening there. … We really didn’t have anybody (to communicate), because like I said, if he’s over where he was going, Steer’s behind him. Throw took him over there, so nobody’s there.”
Earlier in the game, Brantley blasted umpires after they ruled a foul tip and out on a pitch that appeared to hit Blake Dunn in the hand.
“Tough way to lose a ballgame when you’re leading going into the bottom of the 9th,” Brantley said just after the Reds’ fourth consecutive loss.
