Tony Cingrani notched his third save of the season Sunday for the Cincinnati Reds. The performance against the Philadelphia Phillies by Cingrani should be enough for Reds’ manager Bryan Price to name Cingrani the team’s closer..
Cingrani came into the ninth inning with bases loaded and one out. The Reds held a 9-4 lead when Cingrani entered the game. The tying run stood in the on-deck circle, which qualified Cingrani’s appearance for a save situation.
Cingrani induced a comebacker, force out at the plate off the bat of Phillies’ leadoff hitter Odubel Herrera before he struck out the next batter looking.
For the year, Cingrani lowered his ERA to 3.18 in 17 innings. Cingrani has only earned one of his three saves this year in customary closer fashion by starting the ninth inning with his team leading by three runs or less.
The fact that Cingrani did the job and left three inherited runners stranded should be more than enough for Price to name Cingrani the team’s closer to replace outcast former closer J.J. Hoover.
Price has shown reluctance to name Cingrani closer in part because Cingrani is the team’s sole left-handed reliever. He has previously committed to a closer by committee between Cingrani and Ross Ohlendorf.
Ohlendorf surrendered a run Sunday in the eighth inning to raise his ERA to 5.60 on the season. Ohlendorf could find himself out of action for at least three games if his suspension for hitting a Pittsburgh Pirates batter is upheld after his appeal. The absence of Ohendorf for three games might give Cingrani the chance to finalize his status as closer.
Cingrani was preceded in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game by rookie Drew Hayes, who proceeded to walk in a run and load the bases with one out before Cingrani entered to save the game.
Price could always stick to his guns about the closer-by committee. However, naming Cingrani closer would settle the issue for Price. That could take some pressure off of him at this point in the season with the Reds in the cellar of the NL Central once again and Price playing out his string as Reds’ manager in the final year of his contract.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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