CINCINNATI -- Giants relievers Pat Venditte and Sam Dyson teamed up to make an unusual bit of history on Monday afternoon, tying an MLB record by combining to hit four batters in the sixth inning of a 12-4 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The Giants became the first team to hit four batters in the same inning since the Pirates hit four Boston Braves on Aug. 19, 1893.

Venditte, a switch-pitcher, hit Eugenio Suárez and José Peraza from the right side and Josh VanMeter from the left side. He was then replaced by Dyson, who hit Joey Votto to complete the ignominious feat.

The Reds used the four hit-by-pitches to help fuel a five-run inning and put the game further out of reach for the Giants.

“Venditte, he just ran out of gas there,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “But we were caught. We had some guys we were trying to stay away from and needed a break.”

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval made his second career pitching appearance in the eighth, and he opened his outing by plunking a fifth batter, setting a franchise record for most hit-by-pitches in a single game.

“I don’t want to hit a batter,” said Sandoval, who worked a scoreless inning. “I got too excited there. My emotions went up because I wanted to pitch.”