The Los Angeles Dodgers are on their first three-game losing streak in two months after falling 9-8 to the Cincinnati Reds in the series opener at Great American Ball Park.
Perhaps of greater concern was Max Muncy exiting the game after striking out in the top of the seventh. He was replaced at third base by Chris Taylor in the bottom half of the inning.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an update after the game and said Muncy injured his right middle finger on defense but isn’t expected to miss any time, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
Max Muncy got his right middle finger jammed on the short-hop throw he tried to catch at third base earlier in the game
Doesn't sound serious. Dave Roberts said Muncy will be back in the lineup tomorrow. https://t.co/87Jv5zEcsi
— Jack Harris (@Jack_A_Harris) June 7, 2023
Muncy specifically jammed his finger on Jason Heyward’s throwing error to third base in the bottom of the sixth. Muncy made a throwing error in the previous inning that allowed the Reds to pull to within four runs of the Dodgers.
The 32-year-old went 1-for-4 with an RBI double that opened the scoring in the first inning. After a torrid start in April, Muncy has struggled over the last month, batting just .198/.278/.469 across 22 games.
Muncy is hitting an overall .204/.332/.513 with five doubles, 18 home runs and 43 RBI in 229 plate appearances this season (55 games).
Dave Roberts: Dodgers bullpen has to ‘be better’
The Dodgers at one point held a five-run lead against the Reds on Tuesday, but the bullpen squandered it after Tony Gonsolin pitched five innings.
Cincinnati scored one run off Yency Almonte and two against Caleb Ferguson before a third was charged to him when Shelby Miller gave up a walk-off single to Matt McLain.
After the loss, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was critical of Gonsolin and Ferguson, and noted the Dodgers bullpen as a whole must improve.
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