In his 2023 debut, Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo was a pitch away from imploding in the first inning. Against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, the Pirates scored a run and loaded the bases on Lodolo, who was up to 35 pitches in the inning.
Reds manager David Bell rarely lets a starting pitcher throw many more pitches than that in an inning. A pitcher topping 40 pitches in a single inning is usually a no-go. At Great American Ball Park against the Pirates, Lodolo was on the verge of getting pulled in the first inning.
Then, against Pirates second baseman Rodolfo Castro, Lodolo saved his start and the game in a 6-2 Reds win in front of a crowd of 22,224.