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Things are going from bad to worse for the Cincinnati Reds.
After starting 20-11 for first place in the NL Central, the Reds have not won since then in May, including three straight losses to their divisional rival, the Chicago Cubs, to fall to last place.
Well, the Reds and Cubs returned to Wrigley for an afternoon contest on Thursday when a Reds player had a total brain fart.
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Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs scores a run past Tyler Stephenson of the Cincinnati Reds during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on May 7, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Down 2-0 with the bases loaded and no one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Reds received a gift when Dansby Swanson grounded out to third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Hayes touched third base for the first out of the inning and then fired home for the double play, the throw beating Ian Happ by a mile. However, Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson never tagged Happ, instead catching the ball while he was at the plate.
Once Hayes touched third base, that took away his strength at home, which meant Happ now had to be tagged. Instead, he went untouched and ran back to the dugout with the Cubs up, 3-0.
Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ is safe at the plate as Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson stands nearby during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on May 7, 2026. (David Banks/Image Images)
REDS CLOSEST OFF THE FIELD AFTER SUFFERING LEG INJURY JUST ONE PITCH AWAY FROM APPEARANCE
Stephenson apparently forgot that rule, but the Reds announcers didn't.
“It's a tag play! You have to tag him!” John Sadak said.
“No no!” Chris Welsh said.
“Oh, this is a high school mistake.”
Chicago then scored four more runs in the inning en route to an 8-3 victory and a four-game sweep over the Reds, who have now lost seven games in a row.
The Reds recently tied an MLB record by issuing seven straight walks to the Pittsburgh Pirates last week, so it's been quite a whirlwind for Cincinnati.
Michael Conforto celebrates the Chicago Cubs' victory against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois on May 7, 2026. (David Banks/Image Images)
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However, the winless road trip is over and the Reds will host the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals over their next six games to try to get back on track.
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