Rus Livingood
Extra Special Recap of the End of the Previous Game: The Reds and Phils were tied at 0 – 0 heading into the bottom of the ninth when the game was suspended due to rain. The game was to be completed before tonight’s scheduled contest.
The Setting: The Union Pub & Grill in Huntington, WV. I am training two new employees, so we will try to take a break to watch the end of the game, hoping it ends quickly so I can watch it and the bullpen will be preserved.
The Game and Analysis:
•It is two minutes until I leave my day job, and a customer comes in. I spend the next 47 minutes getting him taken care of, so I am way late to The Union to train my new employees, setting us back about 30 minutes. This could impact my viewing of the game. If I have to, I guess I could just quit as owner of this little eatery so I can see the end of the game. I’m just joking. Maybe.
•Zach Cozart leads off with a hit. Joey Votto continues his pace to obliterate the walk record by taking another one. Brandon Phillips hits a ball to the gap that hangs up just long enough for “Super Catch” Ben Revere to get to, but it hits off his glove. They called it an error, but that was a mighty long run for Revere to even make a play on the ball. Oh well. Bases are loaded with one out, and it looks good for the. . .Jay Bruce doesn’t let me finish my sentence as he smacks a game-winning single into right field for the Reds victory.
Overall Thoughts: I am so glad this didn’t drag on for several innings! Now back to the kitchen where I show the new guys the art of making a killer sandwich.
—————————————————
April 17, 2013 – Phillies @ Reds – 7:10pm – Fox Sports Cincinnati
Reds Record (7 – 7)
Home Record (6 – 2)
Phillies Record (6 – 8)
Away Record (3 – 5)
Starters: Lannan (0 – 0) vs. Leake (0 – 0)
The Setting: The Union Pub & Grill in Huntington, WV, then finishing up at Casa de Livingood. I’m training my two new employees until about 8:00 – 8:30pm, and then I’ll head home. There is no TV in the kitchen, but I’ll keep peeking my head out to watch as I can.
Storylines: Can the Reds keep up the momentum from earlier in the day to sweep the Phillies? Tony Cingrani was named as a replacement for the injured Johnny Cueto, and he will pitch on Thursday. The Reds need to get their bats going in this game, and Shin-Soo Choo gets the day off. Can they do it?
The Game and Analysis:
•As I deliver a half pound burger and fries, I stop on the way back from the table to watch Zach Cozart hit a line drive down the line that appears to just clear the wall and bounce back onto the field of play. The umps call it a double, but Dusty is out to suggest they take a look. It is confirmed to be a double. Brandon Phillips singled him home for a 1 – 0 lead for the Reds.
•I’m in the kitchen making food and showing the new guys how to do it. When I get a chance, I look out and see that the Reds are now up 2 – 0, and a patron tells me I missed Todd Frazier hitting a solo homer. While I am watching, Devin Mesoraco doubles. He had a great spring, and I am hoping he comes on this year. He has the potential to be a pretty good catcher.
•Running more food, I look up and see the score is now 6 – 0 at the end of the second! I missed a lot of action. Mike Leake tripled, scoring Mesoraco (3 – 0). Derrick Robinson singled in Leake (4 – 0). After the bases get loaded, Jay Bruce hit a two run single (6 – 0).
•I haven’t gotten to see much of it, but Leake is shutting the Phillies down, though he has thrown 44 pitches through the first three innings.
•Mesoraco doubles again while I am watching, and that knocks in Chris Heisey who had doubled. It’s now 7 – 0 Reds.
•I missed two other runs, as it was 9 – 0 Reds when I headed home. Brandon Phillips had singled in Mesoraco and Leake. The Reds are killing it tonight.
•By the time I get home, I have already missed two other runs, coming off a Zach Cozart homer, this time cleary over the fence. Mike Leake has looked great (the announcers tell me), and it looks like he hasn’t used many pitches to do it over the last few innings.
•Leake ended up getting as many hits (3) as he gave up to the Phils. He just misses driving the ball a long way in his fourth at bat, but get under it and flew out. Still, going 3 – 4 as a pitcher is nothing to sneeze at. Leake went 7.0 innings with only 81 pitches. The Reds took him out, which I can’t argue with at all. Why risk getting him hurt when you have a couple of fresh guys you can run out there for two innings and an 11 – 0 lead?
•Speaking of one of the fresh guys, reliever Justin Freeman got the call for the 8th inning. He was called up when Cueto went to the DL. Tony Cingrani will actually replace Cueto in the rotation, so Freeman might as well get us an inning while he is up for this cup of coffee. He is greeted by a rocket off the wall and then a rocket over the wall. 11 – 2 Reds, which is where we end up as a final score.
•Nothing much to note over the final two innings, as I scarf down my first meal since early in the day. It has been a long day, and I am beat. A Reds sweep makes the end of the day a little sweeter, though.
What Worked: Nearly everything worked for the Reds in this game. Leake was very efficient later in the game, and could have gone longer like Homer Bailey the night before him. The Reds’ bats were alive yesterday, and alive when it counted. They were 7 – 12 with runners in scoring position.
What Didn’t Work: Not much to be happy about for the Phillies in this series. The Reds absolutely shut them down with the exception of two home runs. Bronson Arroyo, Bailey, and Leake dominated their lineup for the most part. My inability to watch and enjoy this explosion of runs and pitching dominance was a letdown, but we had to have a couple of new guys trained in the kitchen.
Where They Stand: The Reds are now 8 – 7 and are ½ game behind the Cardinals in the NL Central.
Overall Thoughts: Terrific performance all around today! This is the frustrating thing about the season so far, though; the Reds show that they are capable of dominance with hitting and pitching in the same game, yet they will go five days in a row seemingly doing anything and everything to lose. Still, it is a long season, and are still on pace for more than 86 wins even after the hiccups they’ve had. Several years ago, I would have been ecstatic with an 8-7 record against the teams they have played, so I am just giving them time to get everything clicking.
Up Next: The Reds host the Marlins on Thursday at 7:10pm. Cingrani will be pitching, and I will be on my trusty couch watching as always.
