Cincinnati Reds offense silenced by Justin Verlander in loss to New York Mets

Knowing the difficulty of hitting against Justin Verlander, last year’s American League Cy Young winner, the Cincinnati Reds tried to steal a run in the bottom of the first inning.

With runners on the corners, two outs and Nick Senzel in a two-strike, no-ball count, the Reds attempted a double steal. After Senzel watched a pitch out of the strike zone, Tyler Stephenson took off for second base. New York Mets rookie catcher Francisco Álvarez bluffed a throw to second to see if Jake Fraley strayed too far from third base.

As Álvarez held onto the ball, Stephenson paused between first and second base. It gave Álvarez enough time to toss out Stephenson at second base and end the inning. A missed opportunity that loomed larger when the offense failed to produce another hit against Verlander in a 2-1 loss at Great American Ball Park.

Verlander, making his second start of the season after he dealt with a shoulder strain, retired 18 of his next 19 batters after the Reds ran into an out on the basepaths. Stephenson was the lone exception with a two-out walk in the fourth inning.

The Reds started well against the 40-year-old Verlander, whose $43.3 million salary this year is higher than the Reds’ combined 26-man active roster, when Jonathan India opened with a line drive single and scored on Jake Fraley’s two-out double. Those were the Reds’ only two hits against Verlander in seven innings, adding two walks and seven strikeouts.

Hunter Greene struck out the side in the first inning, but that was his only inning without a baserunner. After the Reds took their 1-0 lead, it disappeared on the first pitch of the second inning when Pete Alonso lifted a slider into the left field stands for his MLB-leading 13th home run of the season.

Greene, who stranded two runners in the second and third innings, gave up a go-ahead RBI single to Brandon Nimmo with two outs in the fourth inning. Greene struck out four batters in 5 1/3 innings, his lowest total excluding a three-inning start against the Tampa Bay Rays when he left the game after he was struck by a comebacker on his shin.  

Takeaways from the Reds’ game vs. the Mets

1. If there was an at-bat Greene wanted back, it was probably his matchup against Álvarez with two outs in the fourth inning. He had Álvarez in a 0-2 count after two elevated fastballs. He attempted one more elevated fastball in his next five pitches, which was fouled away, but he didn’t elicit a swing with any of his four sliders.

Nimmo fouled four fastballs and sliders before Greene left a slider over the middle of the plate. Nimmo pulled the pitch through the right side of the infield for a 2-1 lead. After Greene struck out his first three batters, he didn’t record another strikeout until the sixth inning.

2. It won’t show up as an error in the box score, but the Reds allowed Daniel Vogelbach to run from first to third on a routine single to right field because of a botched relay. Wil Myers, the right fielder, hurried the ball toward the infield, but he sailed his throw over India’s head. Shortstop Jose Barrero, backing up India, dropped Myers’ throw after it bounced in front of him.

The play didn’t cost the Reds a run when Buck Farmer struck out the next batter to end the eighth inning, but Vogelbach is one of the slowest runners in the league and he took an extra base in a one-run game.

India was charged with an error in the ninth inning on a low throw that was dropped by Barrero at second base on a potential double play grounder.

3. It was a solid performance from the Reds’ bullpen to keep the score within one run, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Ian Gibaut pitched well against the top of the Mets lineup, stranding an inherited runner after Greene left the game, and Casey Legumina induced a double play against Alonso in the ninth inning when he entered with two runners on base.

Stat of the day

Justin Verlander became the 21st pitcher in MLB history to earn a win against all 30 teams, according to Elias Sports Bureau, joining active pitchers Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke on the list. Before Wednesday, Verlander was 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA in two career starts against the Reds.