Cincinnati Reds drop lopsided series opener to Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals right fielder James Wood (29) is embraced by teammates while returning to the dugout after hitting a homer in the third inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

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Reds host Nationals at Great American Ball Park. See photos

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

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Reds host Nationals at Great American Ball Park. See photos

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

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Reds host Nationals at Great American Ball Park. See photos

Washington Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas (36) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

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Reds host Nationals at Great American Ball Park. See photos

Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Sal Stewart (27) hits a single in the second inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

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Reds host Nationals at Great American Ball Park. See photos

Washington Nationals first baseman Luis García Jr. (2) gestures while running the bases after hitting a homer in the third inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

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Reds host Nationals at Great American Ball Park. See photos

Washington Nationals right fielder James Wood (29) is embraced by teammates while returning to the dugout after hitting a homer in the third inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

It was hard to find the silver lining in the Cincinnati Reds' series-opening loss to the Washington Nationals.

Reds starting pitcher Brady Singer was the subject of the latest injury scare on the pitching staff, the bullpen faltered behind Singer, and the team's bats couldn't provide timely hitting in a 10-4 loss to the Nationals on May 12 at Great American Ball Park.

For Washington, Luís Garcia Jr. and Louisville native Daylen Lile both hit two home runs, and James Wood added a fifth long ball. In the eighth inning, Brady House drilled a two-run shot to the stands in the right-center field alley for the visitors' sixth home run of the night.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)

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In the second inning, Lile hit a line drive that appeared to strike the outside of Singer's right foot. The grounder was measured at 106.7 mph off Lile's bat, and Singer stayed on the ground after the play ended.

An athletic trainer and Reds manager Terry Francona emerged from the dugout to tend to Singer, who eventually walked around the mound, threw a warmup toss and ended up staying in the game.

Singer's early exit was a disconcerting sight given that Cincinnati was already contending with multiple injuries to its starting pitchers.

Trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning, Cincinnati loaded the bases with no outs but only produced two runs from the situation, and one scored on a Washington fielding error.

The Reds ended the night 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Trailing 3-2 in the fifth inning, Washington received homers from Garcia Jr. and Lile, who hit a three-run bomb, to break the game open at 7-2 off Reds reliever Sam Moll.

All five Reds relievers who entered the game − Moll, Luis Mey, Connor Phillips, Tony Santillan and Pierce Johnson − allowed at least one run as the team dropped to 22-20.

Cincinnati is 2-9 in May after ascending to a 20-11 record on April 30.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds drop lopsided series opener to Washington Nationals