Tyler Mahle was supposed to start for the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of their doubleheader on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Over the last two months, the Reds could count on Mahle for a quality start, with a few special outings mixed in between. But on Wednesday, Mahle went on the injured list with a right shoulder strain.
That left the Reds without a starting pitcher to face the Pirates on Thursday night. The Reds overcame that challenge with the most impressive game of the year by the Reds bullpen. Relief pitchers who typically hadn’t pitched in big roles carried the Reds to a 5-1 win over the Pirates in front of a crowd of 9,575 fans at Great American Ball Park.