What Went Wrong For Reds in Game 1 of National League Wild Series vs. Dodgers

The Cincinnati Reds fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card series at Dodger Stadium.

Let's take a look at what went wrong for the Reds.

Greene's Shaky Start

For the Reds to have a real shot in this game, they needed Hunter Greene to be his dominant self. He was anything but that, giving up a home run against Shohei Ohtani, the first batter he faced.

It was one of three home runs that Greene would surrender on the night. He gave up five runs on six hits in just three innings of work. He walked two and struck out four.

Greene clearly didn't have his best stuff and struggled with his command.

“It’s not an excuse. It’s the biggest game -- so far -- of the year so that stuff should be there and unfortunately, it wasn’t," Greene told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.

Offense Struggled Against Snell

Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell is very good. It's why he's won a Cy Young award in the past. The Reds knew they had their hands full, but for them to win this game, they were going to have to try to get to him early.

That wasn't the case. Snell started the game with six scoreless innings. Cincinnati did get to him for two runs in the seventh, but at that point in the game, the score was already out of reach. Snell gave up two runs on four hits in seven innings. He walked a batter and struck out nine.

Positives Heading Into Game Two

The Reds showed some life late against the LA's bullpen, scoring three runs in the eighth inning. It is worth noting the runs did not come off of their high-leverage relievers with the score being what it what.

The Reds used five pitchers, but none of Nick Lodolo, Chase Burns, Nick Martinez, Tony Santillan, or Emilio Pagan pitched. They should all be rested and ready to go in Game 2, which the Reds will likely need all hands on deck if they want to keep their season alive.

Game 2 is scheduled to start at 9:08 ET on Wednesday night.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds!

Report: Reds' Top Prospect Chase Burns to Start Season in Dayton

Cincinnati Reds Ace Hunter Greene Being Disrespected By National Media Ahead of 2025 Regular Season

Watch: Ranking Cincinnati Reds’ Most Important Players Ahead of 2025 MLB Regular Season

Terry Francona Explains Why He Decided to Return to Baseball and Manage the Cincinnati Reds in 2025

Cincinnati Reds Second Baseman Matt McLain Made BIG Change That Could Impact His Future With the Club

Cincinnati Reds Right Hander Brady Singer Has Added a New Pitch to His Arsenal This Offseason

Cincinnati Reds Catcher Tyler Stephenson Expected to Miss Start of 2025 Regular Season With Oblique Injury

Cincinnati Reds Make Flurry of Roster Moves With Opening Day Looming

Look: Cincinnati Reds May Be Getting New Uniforms for 2025 Regular Season

Great American Ballpark Has Been Disrespected By National Media