The Cincinnati Reds dropped a 6-5 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, September 25, 2026, falling victim to a three-run comeback that sealed a one-run loss in nine innings. Nick Lodolo gave Cincinnati five serviceable innings, and Eugenio Suárez supplied a home run, but reliever Luis Mey surrendered three earned runs in the sixth to erase a lead the Reds had built with their early offensive burst. Toronto's bullpen then slammed the door, leaving Cincinnati on the wrong side of a winnable game.

Nick Lodolo and the Reds' Early Advantage

Lodolo worked five innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. That line was enough to keep the Reds in front for most of the game, as Cincinnati's lineup jumped on Toronto starter José Soriano early. Soriano allowed five earned runs on eight hits across just three innings, and Cincinnati looked well-positioned to collect a road win.

Suárez provided the offensive highlight for the Reds, going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Héctor Rodríguez added two hits and an RBI in four at-bats, while Carlos Jorge and Juan Brito each went 2-for-4, contributing to an eight-hit attack that ultimately wasn't enough.

Luis Mey's Sixth Inning Unravels the Lead

The turning point arrived when Mey entered in the sixth. He allowed one hit, issued two walks, and gave up three earned runs in a single inning — turning what had been a comfortable Cincinnati lead into a one-run deficit. Mey was charged with the loss, and those three runs proved to be the margin of defeat.

Pierce Johnson and Graham Ashcraft each threw a scoreless inning in relief, and the Reds' bullpen did its part to keep Cincinnati within striking distance, but the offense could not answer Toronto's sixth-inning explosion.

Toronto's Bullpen Shuts Cincinnati Down

After Soriano's rough outing, Toronto's relief corps took over and dominated. Brendan Cellucci struck out three batters over two scoreless innings. Chad Dallas punched out three more across 1.1 innings, and Mason Fluharty — who earned the win — tossed two-thirds of a scoreless inning. Tyler Rogers added a clean inning, and Louis Varland closed it out with two strikeouts in the ninth to earn the save.

Cincinnati simply could not generate runs against that parade of Toronto relievers after the sixth inning. The Reds stranded opportunities and watched the Blue Jays' pen hold the 6-5 lead all the way to the final out.

Key Performances at a Glance

Cincinnati Reds

  • Eugenio Suárez: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
  • Héctor Rodríguez: 2-for-4, 1 RBI
  • Carlos Jorge: 2-for-5
  • Juan Brito: 2-for-4
  • Nick Lodolo (SP): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
  • Luis Mey (L): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Toronto Blue Jays

  • Kazuma Okamoto: 2-for-3, 3 RBI
  • Nathan Lukes: 2-for-3, 1 RBI
  • Charles McAdoo: 2-for-3
  • Myles Straw: 2-for-2
  • Mason Fluharty (W): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER
  • Louis Varland (SV): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K

What's Next for the Reds

Cincinnati will look to bounce back quickly with the series against Toronto continuing. The Reds generated enough offense Friday to win — eight hits and five runs against a starter who lasted only three innings — but Mey's implosion and an inability to touch Toronto's bullpen late proved fatal. Getting cleaner relief outings will be the priority going forward.