MILWAUKEE – The Cincinnati Reds entered their game Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers without having scored a run since the seventh inning Monday.
And then the task at hand got more difficult Friday when manager Terry Francona, first-base coach Colin Cowgill, ace pitcher Hunter Greene and several other staff and players were sent back to the team hotel in Milwaukee because of flu-like ailment that hit the team since it arrived in town for Thursday’s series opener.
Bench coach Freddie Benavides (left) will manage the Reds Friday in Milwaukee with Terry Francona (right) sidelined with a flu-like bug.
The clubhouse was closed to outsiders, including the media, before the game as a precaution.
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“We’re not really sure exactly what the sickness is,” said team president Nick Krall, who would not divulge names of specific players who were unavailable Friday night. “Hopefully, they’re going to be better (Saturday).”
All 13 position players appeared to have escaped the illness and were available for Friday night’s game as the Reds tried to snap a record streak of three consecutive 1-0 losses.
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Bench coach Freddie Benavides took over managing duties for Francona Friday, and Mike Napoli, an untitled coach on the staff, took over for Cowgill at first (where Napoli coached while a member of the Chicago Cubs staff in recent seasons).
How long some affected might be sidelined was unclear. But the team had no immediate plans of bringing up anybody from the minor-league system to backfill.
“Whatever guys are available we’ll go with them,” Benavides said.
Nick Martinez was to make his second start of the season Friday night for the short-handed Reds, who are battling a bug and sent some members of the team and staff back to the team hotel.
Meanwhile, veteran starter Nick Martinez might be one of the best equipped members of the rotation to get the Reds deep into the game under the circumstances.
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“He’s as good as we’re going to get,” Benavides said. “One of our best pitchers. He’ll do anything you ask.”
The Reds were able to stick with their original starting lineup against left-hander Tyler Alexander:
1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona sidelined by bug hitting team