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Things just keep going 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, coming off 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 awry 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 afterwards. Mariners outfielder Victor Robles hit a grounder to short and second baseman Edwin Arroyo tried to make a play. He found umpire Bill Miller his way, though, and the ball squeaked into the outfield while also getting past shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
Relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson was not happy, yelling obscenities at the umpire and ripping him for his appearance.
“F-ing fata-! Out of the way mom-er,” Ferguson, who had just allowed the Raleigh grand slam, appeared to yell 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 backfired.
The slumping catcher, who finished second in last year’s AL Most Valuable Player voting with his 60-homer season, is hitting just .163 this season, but he threw out on the first pitch and turned on a hanging breaking ball, sending it 408 feet into left field to open the game. It was just his 10th home run of the season.
“I know what Raleigh’s hitting and he still worries me,” the veteran skipper said with a laugh. “But I thought that was our best chance to keep them from scoring. We could play the double play depth in the infield. And the worst possible outcome happened.”
Bill Miller caught the wrath of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Caleb Ferguson. (Parker S. Freedman, Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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Seattle jumped into the AL West lead with the win, which also moved them to 51-50 on the season. They are trying to find similar success after reaching Game 7 in last year’s American League Championship Series.
