CINCINNATI -- The injury that Reds reliever Brad Brach returned from on Sunday was a right shoulder impingement. But in layman¡¯s terms, Brach hit a wall after being used so often to help hold up what was a wobbly bullpen.

¡°Honestly, there was something going on, but it was more fatigue than anything else,¡± Brach said. ¡°I kind of hit a wall and couldn¡¯t really get myself over that hump. Hopefully, we¡¯ve got on the right side of things now and I¡¯m good to go. I¡¯m hoping to pitch more like I did in that six-week stretch than I did toward the last three or four.¡±

Brach was activated from the 10-day injured list and infielder Alejo Lopez was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. Cincinnati is back to a nine-man bullpen as a result.

In 13 appearances from June 8-July 4, Brach had a 0.64 ERA with one earned run over 14 innings. In his final five appearances before going on the IL on Aug. 8, he had a 19.64 ERA with eight earned runs, seven hits and five walks over 3 2/3 innings.

The shortened 2020 season may have played a small part in Brach's injury and fatigue.

¡°I didn¡¯t even realize I threw only 12 [1/3] innings last year [for the Mets],¡± Brach said. ¡°Regardless of how many years you¡¯ve done this, when you have a year like that, it¡¯s always a little tougher. I really hadn¡¯t pitched in a big role like that in probably three years, so I think it was just a combination of a lot of things. I got in my own head. Like I said, we got over that physical hump. Now I can just finish the season strong and help us win some games.¡±

Before his activation, Brach did a two-appearance rehab assignment with Louisville and threw two scoreless innings with one hit and three strikeouts.

Fresh Lorenzen pumps strikes
Working in a game for the first time since Aug. 26 during Saturday¡¯s 7-4 win over the Tigers, reliever Michael Lorenzen worked a season-high two scoreless innings with one hit and two strikeouts.

Lorenzen, who pitched the seventh and eighth innings, featured his cutter and a sharp slider. Of the 21 pitches thrown, 17 were strikes. Because the Reds were often behind in games over the past week, there weren¡¯t many big situations to use the right-hander.

¡°Crazy that we went a whole week without having a situation he typically pitches in,¡± Reds manager David Bell said on Sunday. ¡°There were days he was up in the bullpen and didn¡¯t get in. Actually, seven days isn¡¯t ideal. But he was rested, he did a good job of staying ready so he was sharp when he came in last night. He¡¯s pretty amazing with his availability and how he takes care of himself. His ability to bounce back, I don¡¯t even recall over the last three years a day he said he wasn¡¯t available. I¡¯m sure it happened, but usually, that¡¯s a decision we have to make.

¡°He really takes great care of himself and is an amazing athlete. It was great to get him in there last night and two big innings. You don¡¯t see that a lot from anyone¡¯s bullpen, getting two innings late in the game like that.¡±