The Cincinnati Reds fell 1-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park, victims of a dominant Jesús Luzardo who carved through the Cincinnati lineup for seven innings, striking out 11 and allowing just two hits. Brady Singer was nearly as good on the other side, surrendering only the single run that decided the game over 7.1 innings, but Cincinnati's offense never gave him any margin to work with. A tight, well-pitched ballgame ended with the Reds on the wrong side of a shutout.

Luzardo Shuts Down Reds Offense in Near-Perfect Outing

There is no way to sugarcoat what Jesús Luzardo did to the Reds on Thursday night. The Phillies left-hander was flat-out filthy — 11 strikeouts, two hits, two walks, and zero earned runs across seven innings. Cincinnati batters could not get anything going against him in any meaningful stretch of the game. The boxscore tells the whole story for the home side: no batter recorded a hit worth highlighting, no one drove in a run, and the Reds finished the night without crossing the plate once. When a pitcher is throwing like that, you tip your cap and hope your own guy can match him. Singer nearly did.

Brady Singer Pitches Well Enough to Win — But Comes Up Empty

Singer's line Thursday was one of the more frustrating kinds in baseball: 7.1 innings pitched, four hits, one earned run, one walk, and five strikeouts. He gave his team every opportunity to win this game. The one run he surrendered was ultimately all it took. Sam Moll came on in relief of Singer and was sharp, retiring the batters he faced across 0.2 innings with two strikeouts and nothing allowed. Tejay Antone worked the ninth, giving up one hit but keeping the deficit where it was. The Cincinnati bullpen did its job. The offense simply never answered.

Turning Point: A One-Run Game That Never Got Closer

In a 1-0 ballgame, every at-bat carries weight, and the Phillies' lone run proved to be bulletproof. Philadelphia outfielder Brandon Marsh was the most notable offensive presence on the night for the visitors, going 2-for-4. The Reds never manufactured a threat serious enough to force extra innings or flip the scoreboard. Jhoan Duran closed it out for Philadelphia in the ninth — two strikeouts, one hit allowed, zero damage — locking up the save and handing Cincinnati a demoralizing loss in a game that felt winnable until the final out.

Reds Storylines to Watch

  • Chase Burns has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 consecutive starts, a stretch tied with Andy Coakley (1908) for second-longest by a Reds pitcher since 1900. Burns also earned a spot on the All-Star team in what has been a breakthrough season.
  • Hunter Greene has returned from an elbow injury to rejoin Burns atop the Cincinnati rotation — a reunion that gives the Reds one of the more intriguing one-two punches in the NL.
  • JJ Bleday has established himself as one of the Reds' most productive hitters since his recall, though Thursday offered the entire lineup little to work with against Luzardo.
  • Will Benson was designated for assignment earlier this month, a roster move that continues to reshape Cincinnati's outfield depth.

What's Next for the Reds

Cincinnati will look to bounce back and avoid dropping the series against Philadelphia. Singer pitched well enough to keep this team in contention for a series split, but the offense needs to find a way to generate some run support before these close losses start stacking up. Great American Ball Park deserves better than a shutout, and so do the fans who showed up Thursday night.