Taking the Reds' pulse 11 games into 2020

CINCINNATI -- In the early days of a short season, games like Tuesday have already become a frequent refrain for the Reds: The starting pitcher performs marvelously and is boosted by the lineup, usually by a home run from Nick Castellanos. Then the bullpen takes over and can't effectively support the effort.

Free passes and lackluster defense in the late innings undid Cincinnati in a 4-2 loss to the Indians. The clubs split the two-game series at Great American Ball Park, with two more games remaining this week in Cleveland.

• Box score

Over the final three innings on Tuesday, Cleveland managed one hit that left the infield, and it was Franmil Reyes' two-run home run in the top of the eighth off reliever Nate Jones, snapping a 2-2 deadlock after the Reds led, 2-0, after six innings.

"With a shorter season, obviously, it hurts a little bit more," said starting pitcher Tyler Mahle, who dazzled with no runs allowed in six innings of one-hit ball.

• Moustakas (left quad) to get further testing

In the process, Cincinnati's three-game win streak was halted, leaving the club with a 5-6 record. Here is how the Reds have gotten to this point 11 games in:

Bullpen blues
Cincinnati relievers are a combined 1-4 with a 6.21 ERA, ranking 26th out of 30 MLB bullpens by final out on Tuesday. The unit is also tied with the Cubs for second with 10 homers allowed despite coming into the game with no homers and a single walk allowed in its past three games. It's no coincidence the Reds won all of those games.

"We continue to believe in them and have confidence," said manager David Bell. "We need these guys to be good, and they are. We’re going to stay with them."

The lead came apart, little by little, against reliever Pedro Strop in the top of the seventh inning. Shortstop Freddy Galvis' fielding error on a Reyes grounder opened the door. Strop -- pitching for the first time since July 28 -- issued two more walks in the inning to load the bases. César Hernández followed with a chopper towards first base, fielded by Joey Votto. Hernández beat the throw to the bag as Strop dropped the ball on a tough play for an RBI hit.

Lucas Sims replaced Strop and walked José Ramírez to force in the tying run.

"Obviously, the two-run homer was well hit, but the walks hurt us," Bell said, "and a couple plays that we typically make. That was really the story."

The rotation has delivered
Cincinnati's rotation is second in the Majors with a 2.37 ERA, led by Sonny Gray, who is 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA through three starts. The group is second in the Majors with 80 strikeouts and third with a 0.91 WHIP. (All stats by final out on Tuesday.)

Mahle, who filled in for an injured Anthony DeSclafani on July 28 and started again Tuesday for an injured Wade Miley, had a brilliant game vs. Cleveland. Along with the one hit over six scoreless innings, he walked just two and struck out six. After the hit -- an Oscar Mercado knock to lead off the third -- Mahle retired 12 of his last 13 batters and the final 10 in a row.

"I was pretty wild early on with my fastball, so it was kind of a grind early," Mahle said. "Then stuff started to come together, and we started to get quick outs."

Mahle had 98 pitches when Bell decided to let the bullpen have the game.

"Ninety-[eight] pitches, that’s more pitches than I’ve thrown in a long time," Mahle said. "So I think no doubt it was the right call. I want to keep going out until they take it out of my hand.”

Castellanos makes lineup tougher
Cleveland starter Shane Bieber entered the night with 14 scoreless innings and 27 strikeouts over his first two starts in 2020. That streak abruptly ended as he became the latest victim of Castellanos' power. The Reds' splashy offseson addition slugged an 0-1 pitch for a first-inning long ball off the batter's eye.

Castellanos is tied with Aaron Judge for the Major League lead with six homers, and he also is tied for third with 13 RBIs. He is the fourth Reds hitter since 1900 to hit at least six homers in the club's first 11 games, joining Wally Post (1956), Austin Kearns (2003) and Adam Dunn ('04, '06).

"It does seem like he's hitting one every game. And it's crazy," Mahle said. "The guy's unreal, and there's nothing else to say about it."

The Reds' 18 homers are third in the National League, so Castellanos isn't doing it all himself.

Votto has three homers this season and a .946 OPS, striking out just once in 40 plate appearances. Nick Senzel, who missed three games after not feeling well, has four doubles since returning and is batting .304 with a .969 OPS on the year.

Now the offense just needs slumping Eugenio Suárez to emerge. And that may happen soon, as Suárez broke through with his first homer of 2020 when he drove a 1-2 fourth-inning pitch from Bieber to center field for a 2-0 lead the bullpen could not sustain.