Terry Francona Opens Up About Reds Blowing 5-Run Lead in Loss to Giants

The Cincinnati Reds blew two separate five-run leads in Wednesday afternoon's 8-6 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

With a 6-1 lead in the sixth, the Giants were able to score four runs with two outs off of Nick Martinez and Taylor Rogers to get within a run.

"They kept coming," Francona told reporters postgame. "We didn't have an answer after the fifth inning. You hoped it held up and it didn't. We did some really good things to build the lead and then they hit their way back into the game."

In the bottom of the 10th, the Giants had Mike Yastrzemski at the plate with a man on third and just one out. Yastrzemski hit a first-pitch Emilio Pagan fastball into the right field seats for a walk-off victory.

Could the Reds have walked Yastrzemski to try to setup a double play or so that Pagan could face a right-handed batter in Wilmer Flores?

"The reason there is Yastrzemski was 1-for-6 against Pagan and he had punched him out five times," Francona said. "It's easy to say 'well, maybe you should play for a double play.' They're going to run on the first pitch and we can't throw through, so it's just going to be second and third.

"I think Pagan with his changeup, is tough on lefties. We just need to get an out there."

When asked if he looks at this series as a net positive after the loss, Francona downplayed it.

"I never do. I never do," he said. "I showed up today to win the game. That's all I care about."

The Reds are off of Thursday before hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday at 6:45 ET at Great American Ball Park.

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