Defense, offense fail Cincinnati Reds in 3-1 loss to Miami Marlins on Sunday

Two outta three ain’t bad.

Luke Weaver needed 106 pitches today to log just 5.1 IP, though a large portion of that effort came after some lackluster defense behind him kept him on the mound for heavy innings. The pitch count was a season high for him - he’d not yet reached 100 pitches in any start so far - and the veteran righty was extremely effective for the Cincinnati Reds on the day (5.1 IP, 0 ER, 6 K) despite an error behind him (and a couple of other ‘hits’ that very well could have been scored that way).

The peformance was worthy of today’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game, especially on a day where Miami Marlins starter Braxton Garrett and a cadre of his bullpen brethren kept the Cincinnati Reds offense on their heels.

The end result on Sunday saw Miami scoot past the Reds 3-1 to claim a lone game of the three-game weekend series, the Marlins 2-run rally in the Bottom of the 7th off newly-promoted Kevin Herget and Alan Busenitz the difference. The Reds struggled to get hits of any variety, let alone in big spots - they had the bags loaded with nobody out in the Top of the 6th and managed just a lone run off a groundout prior to a double play, for instance.

It simply wasn’t Cincinnati’s day, especially with the news this morning that Nick Lodolo was placed on the injured list and will likely be there for several weeks.

Off to Colorado they go!

Tony Graphanino

[Link to interactive WPA chart & box score, via FanGraphs]