Reds Rapid Reactions From the 10-3 Beatdown in Toronto

Baseball can be a fickle creature. Some nights, the Cincinnati Reds look like they can hang with the best of them. In fact, they own the season series over the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. On other nights, their starter is sacrificed and you try to force him to go five innings.

1.) Need More from Rotation

The Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith put it perfectly:

Carson Spiers is not likely going to be expected to be in the rotation of the next Reds playoff team. Even then, the Reds have to rely on him over these next five weeks to just keep the team competitive and let the lineup do its thing.

Tonight, Spiers unraveled.

He only lasted 4 1/3 innings and gave up 10 runs (nine earned) off 13 hits and two walks. Five of those 13 hits were home runs. The Blue Jays were connecting with every pitch of Spiers' and it didn't ever let up.

In those 4 1/3, he allowed 14 hard-hit balls.

His previous career-high in hits was eight. It is the second time in three starts he allowed at least eight runs.

Not great.

2. Overshadowed Decent Days at the Plate

The Reds finished with nine hits on the night for the 51st time this year. Unfortunately, when the lineup has to stare down a nine-run deficit in the sixth, they tighten up.

Jonathan India just gets on base. With two hits tonight, he has now reached safely 12 times in six games (eight hits, four walks). Noelvi Marte was in a 2-for-his-last-20 after a five-game stretch with seven hits. Against this Blue Jays squad, he hit safely twice. It was his sixth multi-hit game in 41 tries.

Past those two, the Reds had five players with one hit and only two players drew walks. Tyler Stephenson , Spencer Steer , and Marte each finished the matchup with one RBI.

3. Short Memory

Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. This was the 37th blowout of the year (ie. decided by five or more runs). The Reds are now 22-15 in such games.

We keep referring to the 50-50-62 cliche and this certainly feels like it can be chalked up in the "lose 50" category.

It wasn't all bad, of course. After Spiers exited the game, Jakob Junis came on and pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless, hitless baseball. Then, Luke Maile , the catcher, came on and pitched a perfect two innings.

Nick Martinez gets the ball on Wednesday with the chance to take the series and the Reds desperately need to get back on and stay on track.