If you Google “retires 19 in a row” and “Reds” you’ll find the stories reporting on Brandon Finnegan and the second game of the season. Finnegan struggled in the first inning on April 5, giving up a walk and a hit, throwing 25 pitches. But after that, the Reds lefty retired every other batter he faced, striking out 9 Phillies, throwing 88 pitches in 7 innings.
Brandon Finnegan wasn’t given the opportunity to perform a similar Houdini act today. He walked the first two batters he faced on 9 pitches. Before the inning ended, he’d walked another and unleashed a wild pitch.