Rus Livingood
April 10, 2013 – Reds @ Cardinals – 1:35pm – Reds.com Gameday and the Radio
Reds Record (5 – 3)
Away Record (1 – 1)
Cardinals Record (4 – 4)
Home Record (1 – 1)
Starters: Bailey (1 – 0) vs. Westbrook (0 – 1)
The Setting: At work, hoping to listen to any portion of the game or catch updates on the computer, but it is a busy, busy day. Work comes first!
The Game and Analysis:
•Homer Bailey threw 14 pitches in the first two innings combined! Of course, I couldn’t see them to comment on how he was pitching, but he was efficient to say the least.
•As busy as I was, the radio remained off and the updates were few and far between. I see that Bailey and Jake Westbrook have gotten through the first four innings with not much to show from either club offensively. At this point, we had an impromptu managers’ meeting, which would take up the next 45 minutes to an hour.
•I come back from one of the other managers’ office where we were meeting, and I decide to quickly check the score. It is 8 – 0 Cardinals. Yikes! Apparently, the Cardinals decided to get all of those runs back from the first game. Looking at the recap, Bailey had two outs in the fifth when he gave up a homer, a single, a double, and another homer. He recorded the final out, and then gave up a single, homer, and double to the first three batters before being pulled for Logan Ondrusek. Ondrusek would also give up a homer before the inning was finished. Even knowing the score before reading the recap, I was still holding out for some hope while scrolling through the play-by-play. It tears me up.
•The Cardinals added two more runs in the seventh inning, which was the third straight inning of seven batters sent to the plate.
•I listen to some of the game on the radio as I drive from work to the restaurant. They have the game on when I get there, but I can only glance at it long enough to see that it is still 10 – 0 Cardinals. I quickly do my duties there and head for home, but I’m barely listening to the game. I get a phone call that comes over the Bluetooth in the car, and I gladly take it. I just can’t bear to listen to this game anymore. Do you feel like this about your favorite sports team?
•The Reds managed five hits, as Westbrook went the distance. He also walked four, but he would have had to have walked 25 before this game would have been close. He has thrown 15.2 innings without giving up a run this year.
•I contemplate taking a bath with a toaster, but I ultimately decide that there is more baseball to be played, and I’ll be there to watch it.
What Worked: Jake Westbrook worked. The Cardinals bats worked very well starting with their explosion in the fifth inning.
What Didn’t Work: Anything at all for the Reds. I know how the Cardinals felt on Monday now. Well, they might have felt about three runs worse. Ah, that made me feel better!
Where They Stand: The Reds are 5 – 4 and now tied with the Cardinals at the top of the NL Central.
Overall Thoughts: This was a mugging.
Up Next: The Reds are off tomorrow and will head to Pittsburgh for a three game series.
