The Giants' seven-game winning streak officially came to an end on Wednesday.
After scoring 11 runs in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, San Francisco's offense went quiet in a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
The Giants sent veteran righty Ross Stripling (L, 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 K) to the mound against Reds righty Graham Ashcraft (W, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K). Stripling pitched well, but one mistake in the bottom of the third proved to be the difference.
With two runners on and nobody out, Reds left fielder Will Benson blasted a three-run homer into the left-center field bleachers to give Cincinnati an early 3-0 lead.
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A David Villar hit-by-pitch, followed by Brett Wisely and Casey Schmitt walks loaded the bases for the Giants in the top of the fifth inning with nobody out. Joc Pederson grounded into a double play that scored Villar from third and put the Giants on the board before Mike Yastrzemski popped out to end the scoring threat.
Stripling cruised through six innings on just 76 pitches, which marked his longest outing of the season.
The Giants inched closer in the top of the seventh after Blake Sabol blasted an opposite-field solo home run to lead off the inning, cutting the Reds' lead to 3-2.
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The Giants turned to Ryan Walker, who pitched two very impressive innings and held the Reds scoreless in the seventh and eighth.
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Pederson led off the top of the eighth with a single and Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch with two outs, but the Giants were unable to tie the game with a runner in scoring position.
Sabol, Villar and Wisely went down in order against Reds closer Alexis Díaz in the top of the ninth, snapping San Francisco's seven-game winning streak.
