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Things continue to go from bad to worse for the Cincinnati Reds.
After starting the season with a 20-12 record, they are just 25-43 in their last 68 games, and they suffered an 8-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
But the Reds suffered an absolute facepalm moment in the bottom of the seventh inning, which had already gone bad thanks to Cal Raleigh’s grand slam.
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Cincinnati Reds pitcher Caleb Ferguson stands on the mound after giving up a grand slam to Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington. (Joe Nicholson/Imagn Images)
However, the Reds didn’t get much help after that. Mariners outfielder Victor Robles hit a grounder too short and second baseman Edwin Arroyo attempted to make a play. However, he found umpire Bill Miller in his way and the ball squeaked into the outfield while passing shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
Relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson was not happy, shouting obscenities at the umpire and tearing him up for his appearance.
“Fucking fata-! Walk away, mother-uh,” Ferguson, who had just allowed Raleigh’s grand slam, appeared to shout at Miller.
MLB home plate umpire Bill Miller works the first inning of a game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
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Seattle then had runners on the corners, but the Reds stopped the bleeding.
Reds manager Terry Francona ordered Ferguson to intentionally walk Dominic Canzone to load the bases and face Raleigh, but the decision totally backfired.
The slumping catcher, who finished in second place in last year’s AL Most Valuable Player voting with his 60-homer season, is hitting just .163 this season, but he pounced on the first pitch and lit up a hanging breaking ball, sending it 408 feet into the left field stands to open the game. It was only his 10th home run of the season.
“I know what Raleigh hits and he always worries me,” the veteran skipper said with a laugh. “But I thought this was our best chance to stop them from scoring. We could go deep on the double play down the field. And the worst possible outcome happened.”
Bill Miller has drawn the wrath of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Caleb Ferguson. (Parker S. Freedman, Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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Seattle took the AL West lead with the win, which also moved them to 51-50 on the season. They are looking to achieve similar success after reaching Game 7 of last year’s American League Championship Series.
