Overview
- Cincinnati pitchers Rhett Lowder and Connor Phillips issued seven consecutive walks in the second inning Saturday, tying an MLB record.
- Lowder struck out Oneil Cruz to start the frame, then two walks followed before a pitching change, and four bases-loaded walks pushed in runs.
- Pittsburgh scored five runs in the inning without a hit, including four without putting a ball in play.
- Lowder and Phillips combined for 42 pitches with only 11 strikes, and three of the walks came on four pitches.
- The tie matches rare cases from 1909 and 1983, and it comes as the Reds carry an 11.6% walk rate and a minus-11 run margin that signal broader concern.