Thursday’s game was one of those games you want to erase from your memory as a fan.
The Cincinnati Reds found a way to make history during Thursday’s heartbreaking 10-9 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, but not the kind of history anyone in Cincinnati will want to remember.
Brock Burke was charged with six runs in the ninth inning despite allowing just two hits. Even more remarkably, none of the six runs were earned after Dane Myers dropped what should have been the game-ending fly ball with two outs.
According to OptaSTATS, Burke became the only pitcher in MLB history since earned runs have been officially tracked in both leagues in 1913 to enter a game in the ninth inning or later and finish with at least six runs allowed, zero earned runs and two or fewer hits allowed.
That’s a stat line that perfectly sums up just how bad Cincinnati’s collapse was.
Burke entered the ninth with the Reds leading 5-4 and started off the inning by allowing a single to Cardinals outfielder Jose Fermin. He eventually got the Cardinals down to their final out, and appeared to have the game won when JJ Wetherholt lifted a routine fly ball into left-center field.
Instead, Myers, who was playing center field, called off TJ Friedl in left field and dropped it, allowing two runs to score and giving St. Louis a 6-5 lead. Because the inning should have been over, everything that followed was also unearned against Burke. The Cardinals continued to pile on, eventually scoring six runs in the inning before holding off Cincinnati’s rally in the bottom half of the inning for a 10-9 win.
Burke’s final line was one you may never see again: 0.2 innings, two hits, six runs and zero earned runs.
Myers Explains What Happened
After the game, Myers spoke with the media and explained what happened on the play.
“I shaded over a good bit,” Myers told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. “We had talked before the play that anything in that gap with how we were shaded was supposed to be mine,” Myers explained. “I know the sun may have been tough. It was pretty loud for the last out of the game. I called him off and just didn’t make the play.”
It’s a game and series the Reds should have won. They’ll be back in action on Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nick Lodolo will start on the mound for the Reds.
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