Reds race past wild Glasnow
and simple.”
Eventually Hurdle had to go back out, after another walk, and end Glasnow’s night early. The five-run deficit Glasnow left behind was enough for the Cincinnati Reds, who won 7-1 Monday night at PNC Park.
“Really, honestly, this is just going to be one of those, forget about it and go out and get the next one,” Glasnow said.
The next one is scheduled for Saturday at Wrigley Field against the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
The Pirates gave Glasnow the fifth spot in the rotation after a spring competition that also featured Steven Brault, Trevor Williams and Drew Hutchison. Glasnow, a former No. 1 prospect in the Pirates system who ranked third this year according to Baseball America, debuted last summer after dominating the minor leagues.
At his best, Glasnow has weapons that play in the majors. His fastball used to consistently hit 95 mph and higher; he paired that with a sharp curveball 15 to 20 mph slower. But he struggles with control, he does not have a consistent third pitch and he has yet to corral opposing baserunners. Last season, nine runners stole successfully against him. None were caught.
He added a slide step to reduce his delivery time. What better referendum on his ability to control the running game than Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton, one of the fastest men in baseball?
Hamilton led off with a single and promptly stole second, one of his two steals against Glasnow on the night and one of four against him overall.
“When you have a release time like we had tonight off the mound, people are going to run up here,” Hurdle said. “It’s no secret.”
Hamilton’s speed is such that he advanced to third on a pop-out to shallow right field. Then the walks started. Joey Votto, Adam Duvall, Eugenio Suarez and Scott Schebler all took a base on balls, and by the time the inning was over, 43 pitches later, three runs were in.
Base hits did the damage in the second. Hamilton and Jose Peraza singled. Glasnow struck out Votto swinging at a curveball, but Duvall’s two-run single brought Hurdle to the mound for the first time. After another walk, Hurdle went back out.
“Going into the second, I was just trying to do a little more,” Glasnow said. “I lengthen out and I lose a lot of power. At least now I can identify it.”
Glasnow recorded five outs. He walked five batters and allowed five runs on four hits. He threw 35 strikes and 29 balls.
His counterpart Monday night, Brandon Finnegan, matched Glasnow ball for ball. In two-plus innings he walked five. Twice the Pirates loaded the bases against him with nobody out. They scored one run, when Cervelli walked with the bases loaded.
Wade LeBlanc, who allowed one run in 5⅓ innings of relief, had not had more than one at-bat in a season since 2013. He batted three times Monday. He struck out with the bases loaded twice. Hurdle said he did not want to pinch-hit for LeBlanc because Felipe Rivero and Juan Nicasio were unavailable, and if Trevor Williams pitched he would be out for the next two games.
“Unfortunately at that point in time, not getting the distance we did out of our starter, we did the best we could do with what we had,” Hurdle said.
LeBlanc’s second basesloaded strikeout was the third of 21 consecutive outs to end the game. The Reds bullpen pitched seven perfect innings.