Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Ramon Hernandez.  Clutch Man Monie struck in a not-so-clutch situation, hitting a three run HR in the second inning.  He added a double and a run scored in the fourth.  An honorable mention goes to Chris Heisey, who also had two hits, one of them a HR.

Key Plays

•  The Reds struck early, staking out a 5-0 lead with that three-run HR and a two-RBI single by Juan Francisco in the third.
• Johnny Cueto was cruising until he was pulled in the fourth with what we're hearing was a strained lat.  I know practically nothing, but I don't like the sound of that.  At any rate, Sam LeCure gave up 2 ER in two and a third innings to earn the win.
• After scoring the aforementioned run in the fourth on an Edgar Renteria single, the Reds added another run on a Heisey solo HR in the eighth.
• There was one more highlight left: a very nice play at third by Francisco.  Reds win, 7-2.

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Six innings in, this one is tied up.

Mid-August seemed so far away, but it turns out that the week of Reds games in DC is now upon us.  I'm planning to go to at least one game,  and if you live in the area, so should you!  As I mentioned previously, to celebrate that I actually have a job that pays in real money (rather than exclusively in self-esteem hits), I'll buy a round for any RRers who show up.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

There were no standout offensive performers tonight--sure, Ramon Hernandez hit a HR, but he was 1 for 5, and BP was 2 for 5 but both were singles.  I guess Yonder Alonso went 2 for 4 with a double, but then he also allowed an inside-the-park HR, so....yeah.

I'm going to give co-JNMHSotG honors to the two relievers who actually recorded outs that didn't score runs: Logan Ondrusek and Aroldis Chapman.

Key Plays

• Did you notice that I mentioned an inside-the-park home run?  Yeah, that apparently really happened.  Tony Campana hit it, and Starlin Castro also scored on the play to make the score Cubs 2, Reds 0 after one inning.
• In the second, Tyler Colvin hit a more conventional HR.  Cubs lead by three.
• Mike Leake then pitched four scoreless innings, though he allowed a ton of baserunners in there.  In the meantime, the Reds got a couple back in the fourth.  Yonder Alonso hit a two-out single, then Todd Frazier drew a walk to bring Leake to the plate.  He blooped a single to score a run, then another scored on a wild pitch.  Reds down by 1.
• Jose Arredondo relieved Leake in the seventh, and promptly loaded the bases on a walk, a double, and an IBB.  He was pulled and Bill Bray gave up a sac fly to score one.  Well, it could have been worse...
• Ondrusek relieved Bray and got a flyout and a groundout to end the threat.  But still, Cubs lead 4-2.
• The Reds got one back on that Hernandez HR in the eighth.
• Paul Janish led off the Reds' ninth with a HBP, and after a Votto strikeout and a BP flyout, Jay Bruce singled.  Hernandez grounded out to end the threat.  Cubs win, 4-3.

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Johnny Cueto.  Sure, there were some other great performances by Reds today, but Cueto pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout.  In the process, he qualified for the ERA leaderboard and in fact took the lead with a 1.72 ERA.  This guy is good.

Honorable mentions go to Joey Votto (2 for 4 with a 3-run HR), Drew Stubbs, (4 for 5 with a double), Edgar Renteria (3 for 4 with a walk), and Todd Frazier, who hit his first career major league HR.

Key Plays

• The Reds got this one off to a good start, scoring three in the first   Drew Stubbs singled to lead off, followed by a Renteria single.  A run scored on a Votto single, and another on a Brandon Phillips sac fly.  Jay Bruce singled to score Votto as well.  Reds lead, 3-0.
• Todd Frazier added a solo HR in the fourth inning.
• Keep in mind that the Giants weren't scoring anywhere in here...
• But the Reds got a fifth run in the fifth when Renteria walked, advanced to third on a Phillips single, and scored on a Bruce sac fly.
• The score remained 5-0 until the seventh, when Stubbs singled, Renteria singled, and Votto scored both of them (and himself!) with a HR to center.
• Yonder Alonso entered after that, and singled with Stubbs on second to make it 9-0 in the eighth.
• Once again, the Giants didn't score.  Reds win!

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Okay, so the Reds are losing.  But everyone obviously needs a new thread for all of the optimism.  There's just too much of it for the original game thread!

I'm just popping in before heading out to look at more overpriced apartments, but I figured everyone could use a thread to fill with optimistic comments.

Here you go!

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Well, this one's easy.  Joey Votto had kind of a good game.  Not only did he hit his 100th career HR (a 3-run shot in the third), but he hit his 101st as well.  He also added a single and a walk.

Also homering for the Reds: Scott Rolen, Jonny Gomes, and Drew Stubbs.  Oh, and relievers Bill Bray, Logan Ondrusek, and Aroldis Chapman combined to pitch two and two-thirds hitless innings (and six of those 8 outswere strikeouts).

Key Plays

• Runs were scored in every inning but the sixth and the ninth, and the teams combined for nine HRs.  So yeah, there was some offense.  The Orioles started things off when Adam Jones hit a HR in the bottom of the first.  Orioles 1, Reds 0.
• Gomes got that back with a solo HR in the top of the second.  The game was tied until the next inning, when...
• Chris Heisey doubled, Brandon Phillips singled, and Joey Votto made it 4-1.
• Nick Markakis cut the lead to one run with a two-run HR in the bottom of the third.
• Matt Wieters tied it up in the fourth.  Guess how.
• In the fifth inning, BP led off with a double and scored on . . . yeah, a Votto HR.  Reds lead, 6-4.  Soon after, Brad Bergesen was brought in to replace starter Brian Matusz.  He pitched well until . . . 
• Joey Votto walked in the seventh, and scored on a Rolen HR.
• The Orioles finally chased Arroyo when, after striking out Robert Andino to lead off the bottom of the seventh, he gave up a HR to J.J. Hardy.  Bill Bray came in to complete the three-strikeout inning.
• Drew Stubbs got it on the HR parade in the eighth, leading off with one.  The Reds scored another run on an Edgar Renteria walk, Hanigan groundout, and BP single.  Reds lead, 10-5.
• This score remained unchanged.  Ondrusek pitched a hitless eighth, and then Aroldis Chapman (remember him?) struck out the side in the ninth (remember that?).  Reds win!

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Well, so far this one is looking a lot better than a 1 BR apartment I saw today.  

It rents for $2000 a month, incidentally.  And the Reds lead, 4-1.

Hey, the Reds are winning!  So here's a new thread for all of your positivity.

Now the giants lead, 4-2.  There's still plenty of baseball left, though.  Right?

Hey, the Reds lead!  Sure, it's only 1-0, but still.

Granted, I only started watching in the third inning.  Did I miss much?

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

I'm going to have to give this one to Paul Janish, who hit his first triple in the major leagues.  Sure, he made up for it with an error that yielded an unearned run, but whatever.  An honorable mention goes to Ryan Dempster, who only gave up three hits and one walk in six innings.  The Cubs bullpen also pitched well, throwing three scoreless innings.

Key Plays

• Bronson Arroyo got off to a good start, only allowing one hit in the first three innings.  The Reds, meanwhile, loaded the bases with one out in the first, but didn't score.  The Reds did score in the third, when Drew Stubbs singled to lead it off, stole second, advanced to third on a Brandon Phillips groundout, and scored on a Jay Bruce single.  Reds lead, 1-0.
• That didn't last long.  In the top of the fourth, Darwin Barney grounded out and then Blake DeWitt reached on a Paul Janish error.  This proved to be not at all good when the next batter, Carlos Pena, hit a HR.  Aramis Ramirez made it back to back HRs, and the Cubs were up 3-1.  At least Arroyo didn't allow any more runs to score, even though he gave up two more singles in the inning.
• Janish's triple was the only hit the Reds managed in the last six innings of the game.  The Cubs scored one more run in the seventh, when Kosuke Fukudome doubled, advanced to third on a bunt, and scored on a Jose Arredondo balk.  Seriously.

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It's the sixth inning, and the Reds are apparently losing.  I would like for that to change.

But frankly, I think someone sees this game as the turning point.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

This one has to go to future Red Matt Kemp, who went 3 for 5 with 2 HRs (one a grand slam) and a walk.

Honorable mentions to Johnny Cueto (7 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 ER) and Joey Votto (2 for 4 with a HR and a walk).

Key Plays

• The Reds offense looked pretty bad in the first five innings against Clayton Kershaw.  In that time he saw fifteen batters, giving up a Votto single that was erased by a CS--and striking out nine.  In that time, the Dodgers managed one run against Johnny Cueto.
• But the Reds had more luck in the sixth.  Ramon Hernandez led off with a single, and after Paul Janish flied out, Cueto bunted him to second.  Drew Stubbs drew a walk, then Brandon Phillips singled to score Ramon.  Oh, and Joey Votto next hit one out to right to score three more.  Reds lead, 4-1.
• Matt Kemp led off the seventh with a HR, then the next three Dodgers went down in order.  Reds still lead, 4-2.
• The Reds piled on in the bottom of the inning.  Jay Bruce led off with a single.  After Gomes flied out, Ramon walked.  Janish then singled to right, and Mark Berry sent Jay Bruce home.  A good throw beat him by quite a bit.  And then a pinch hit single by Chris Heisey and a Stubbs double scored three more.  Reds lead, 7-2.
• Nick Masset made his 31st appearance of the season in the eighth.  After striking out Dioner Navarro, he gave up three consecutive singles.  He was pulled for Bill Bray, making his 30th appearance of the season.  Bray walked the only batter he faced.  He, in turn, was pulled for Logan Ondrusek (31st appearance), who promptly gave up a Matt Kemp grand slam.  The game was then tied at 7.
• The Reds threatened in the ninth, with a one-out single by Ramon Hernandez.  Mike Leake came in to run for him, but Janish fouled out and Heisey flied out to send it to extras.
• Which reminds me: after that mess of an eighth inning, Jose Arredondo and Francisco Cordero each pitched a scoreless inning.  But of course Carlos Fisher was next, and he didn't pitch so well.  He gave up a leadoff single, and that runner was bunted over.  Another single put runners on the corners with one out.  Two more singles scored another two runs.  The announcers said maybe Bruce should have thrown home on the second one, where he might have had an out, but I didn't see it so I can't say for sure.  Regardless, the next batter was Andre Ethier, who grounded to Fisher.  It looked like a double play ball, but Fisher threw it into center field, scoring another run and leaving two men on base.  The next play was a grounder to Votto, who got the runner at second . . . but Fisher didn't bother to cover first so they didn't get that out.
• Finally, Dusty replaced Fished with Jeremy Horst, his last available pitcher.  After a balk, he got James Loney to fly out.  Stubbs made a nice catch to end the threat, but the Dodgers had scored four.
• Three singles, two groundouts and a flyout in the bottom of the inning added up to one run for the Reds.  Reds lose, 11-8.

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Bonus baseball!  This one's still tied at 7.

Yep, the Reds are down by three.  But don't fret!  This one's only half over.

This game has been Bruced, and the Reds lead 5-0.

I haven't had anything funny to say for hours at this point.

Yeah, it wasn't intriguing before.  But now it is!

Yep, still tied.  Now 4-4, though.

Yep, this one's tied up at 3.

We're in the fifth, and it looks like the Phillies are up 3-0.  I'd like for that to change.

I just got home.  Did I miss anything?

Joe Nuxhall Honorary Memorial Star of the Game

Well, this certainly won't go to the Reds pitching staff.  With the exception of Francisco Cordero, who pitched a scoreless, one-hit eighth, every Red who pitched in this one allowed runs.

I'm going to have to give this one to Asdrubal Cabrera, who went 5 for 5 with two HRs.  Sure, he also had an error, but that wasn't enough to make for how he walloped Reds pitching all afternoon.

Key Plays

I don't even know how to narrow it down to a few key plays here.  The Reds took a lead on a Joey Votto solo HR in the first, but Edinson Volquez gave up four runs in the bottom of the inning and the Reds trailed from then on.  Feel free to check out the FanGraph if you want to see how this one looked.

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This one isn't even one third complete, but Sam LeCure is in.

Joe Nuxhall Honorary Memorial Star of the Game

There wasn't much offense on either side, but Ryan Hanigan was the only player with two hits.  So there's that.  Honorable mentions to both starters (Josh Tomlin and Homer Bailey), each of whom allowed only one hit through six innings.

Key Plays

• The Reds scored first in the seventh.  After a Joey Votto flyout, BP worked an HBP and advanced to third on a Jay Bruce single.  He scored on a poorly played Scott Rolen groundout.  Reds lead, 1-0.
• The Indians overtook them in the bottom of the inning.  Asdrubal Cabrera, and two outs later Travis Buck sent one just barely over the right field wall.  Orlando Cabrera doubled but was stranded.  Indians lead, 2-1.
• The Reds threatened in the eighth with a Ryan Hanigan leadoff single.  After he was pulled for pinch-runner Travis Wood (completely baffling Indians announcers), Vinnie Pestano struck out the side to leave the runner at first.
• Similar story in the ninth.  Votto walked to lead it off, but was erased by a GIBP.  An ugly K by Rolen ended this one.

via www.fangraphs.com

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