'It's really what separates him': Michael Lorenzen rescues Reds bullpen in win over Twins

When Michael Lorenzen spent three months recovering from a shoulder injury and another two weeks recovering from a hamstring injury, these were the moments he visualized.

Lorenzen let out a roar from the mound and punched his hand into his glove to celebrate a five-out save, sealing a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins at Great American Ball Park. It was his first save since the end of the 2019 season and may have earned him more opportunities in the ninth inning.

The Reds are desperate for bullpen help. They added three relievers at the trade deadline and they’ve still struggled. Enter Lorenzen, who rescued the bullpen in the eighth inning from a near collapse and avoided trouble in the ninth inning.

“Not too many guys can do what (Lorenzen) did,” Reds manager David Bell said. “He had to work hard in the eighth there. It wasn’t easy, so to be able to get the final five outs of the game in the way he did it, it just says so much about who he is, his talent, the way he competes and the way he believes in himself. It’s really what separates him.”

Entering with a one-run lead and one out in the eighth inning, Lorenzen admitted he didn’t even realize the score until later. He just wants to pitch. He struck out the first batter he faced, then surrendered a double to Twins leadoff hitter Max Kepler in the right-field corner.

A strong throw from right fielder Aristides Aquino saved a run, holding catcher Ryan Jeffers at third base on the double. In Lorenzen’s eyes, it was a relief. The Twins had their chance to strike against him and didn’t capitalize. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, Lorenzen struck out the next batter, Brent Rooker, to end the eighth inning.  

“I always tell (Aquino) I have a better arm than him,” Lorenzen said. “Today I said, ‘I’ll give you the day. You’ve got a better arm than me.’ He was able to get the ball in and keep that runner on third. That’s huge. That saves the game right there in my eyes.

“I felt like I got away with one.”

The bullpen carousel kept spinning at the start of the eighth inning. Brad Brach, who stranded two runners in the seventh inning, walked the first two batters and gave up an RBI double to Miguel Sanó. New addition Luis Cessa allowed a two-run double to Trevor Larnach and an RBI single to Jeffers.

Then it was Lorenzen’s turn. He struck out three of the six batters he faced, inducing a game-ending double play against Sanó in the ninth inning.

The Reds had allowed 12 runs, including five homers, in the ninth inning of their previous nine games. They allowed a ninth-inning run in eight of those nine games.

“I've had a lot of time, obviously, to visualize and think about doing it,” Lorenzen said. “It's fun to actually be able to do it now.”

The Reds have scored at least five runs in 11 of their last 12 games. They scored all six runs with two outs Tuesday, erupting for four runs in the third inning against Twins lefty Charlie Barnes. Tyler Stephenson capped the third-inning rally with an RBI single and he hit a solo homer in the seventh.

It’s been a solid string of starting pitching. Luis Castillo permitted one run in six innings against the Twins, giving up a solo homer in the first inning to Jorge Polanco.

Castillo, who struggled mightily over the first two months of the season, has transformed into one of baseball’s best pitchers. He’s posted a 1.91 ERA in his last 12 starts, which is the second-lowest ERA in the Majors since June 1.

“I expect to do it every time I go out there now,” Castillo said, according to team interpreter Jorge Merlos.

Then there’s the bullpen, which has been a daily roller coaster with no exit. Lorenzen saved the day Tuesday. Who can the Reds rely on throughout the next two months as they chase a playoff spot?

“This is probably the most experienced pen that I’ve been a part of,” Lorenzen said. “When you have so many guys who have done it for a long time, we take our punches pretty well. We learned how to absorb some punches, move on, wake up the next day and come to the field ready to go. There’s no panic – there’s none of that.”

The Reds bounced back from a rough loss Tuesday when Heath Hembree allowed a three-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth inning for a blown save. They’re a resilient group. But they’ll need to make a run if they want to make up ground in the standings and a consistent bullpen is a big part of that.

“I have to make sure every opportunity I get, I talk about how the players on this team bounce back after a tough loss,” Bell said. “I think we’ve seen it over and over and over again. Everyone in here really appreciates that, so I think it’s something to really embrace and something to really appreciate.”