There won't be many more opportunities for this Cincinnati Reds team to get hot, and they let a chance to get a little hotter slip away.
The Reds on July 28 trailed the Cleveland Guardians 4-0 after one inning at Great American Ball Park but climbed all the way back to take a 5-4 lead by the end of the fourth inning. A win would have given Cincinnati a 7-3 record since the MLB All-Star break.
Sal Stewart went 2 for 3 in the game with a walk, solo home run and a two-run single to put the Reds on top in the bottom of the fourth inning.
On a rare day of struggle for Cincinnati starter Chase Burns, the Guardians tied the game at five in their next at-bat. Then, they broke the tie against reliever Sam Moll in the eighth inning as Brayan Rocchio's sacrifice
bunt up the first base line allowed Chase DeLauter to score for a 6-5 lead.
The Reds dropped the game by that score, falling to 49-56 with six days separating the club from the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
The contest was a makeup game after the teams' scheduled July 27 meeting was rained out. The Reds and Guardians will play again July 28 at Great American Ball Park in a game originally scheduled for that date (7:10 p.m.).
Burns didn't factor in the decision, and his record remained at 12-1. Additionally, four of the five runs against him were unearned, but the five hits off him were still evidence of a challenging outing.
The five hits were the most allowed by Burns since Pittsburgh clapped nine against him on June 27.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds drop first game of split doubleheader against Guardians
