Rus Livingood
July 1, 2013 – Giants @ Reds – 7:00pm – Fox Sports Ohio
Reds Record (46 – 36)
Home Record (26 – 14)
Giants Record (39 – 42)
Away Record (15– 27)
Starters: Kickham (0 – 2) vs. Arroyo (6 – 6)
The Setting: While the game is nationally televised, it is also available on Fox Sports Ohio. I will be watching on that channel with my familiar announcers, etc. And of course, I am home on my couch.
The Game and Analysis:
•This was a game that I. . .I mean the Reds needed. The bats woke up, and the only thing that could stop them was a torrential downpour of rain. After around two hours worth of waiting out a rain delay, the game was finally called and the Reds walked away with an 8 – 1 win over the Giants. All the soggy details are below.
•After an uneventful first inning, the Reds exploded in the second inning as they sent eight batters to the plate:
1. Brandon Phillips singled.
2. Jay Bruce doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs.
3. Todd Frazier singled in Phillips (1 – 0). Bruce advanced to third.
4. Zack Cozart hit a sacrifice fly to score Bruce (2 – 0).
5. Ryan Hanigan hit an infield single that was deflected by third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Frazier went to second.
6. Bronson Arroyo hit a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners for the second out.
7. Derrick Robinson grounded a ball that bounced high over the third baseline for a two run double (4 – 0).
8. Shin-Soo Choo grounded out to end the inning.
•Mike Kickham threw 38 pitches in that fateful second inning and was in a hole from which the Giants would not be able to come back. He did collect his first career hit when he hit a double in the third inning. When the bottom of the third rolled around, he would find himself in trouble again.
•The Reds sent seven batters to the plate in the third inning as they extended their lead:
1. Joey Votto was safe at first on a single to Sandoval at third.
2. Phillips flied out to centerfield.
3. Bruce singled to center. Votto went to second.
4. Frazier crushed a three run home run to the upper deck in left-centerfield (7 – 0).
5. Cozart popped out to the second baseman.
6. Hanigan doubled to right field, and Kickham was taken out of the game after 70 pitches in 2.2 innings.
7. Reliever Jake Dunning struck out Arroyo.
•Arroyo cruised through the first four innings, giving up only one walk and the double by Kickham. In the fifth, Brandon Belt hit a solo home run to bring the score to 7 – 1. It was the second Giants hit and the third base runner. That would be all that they would get off of Arroyo. In the rain-shortened game, Arroyo would be credited with a complete game, throwing 88 pitches in 6.0 innings of work. He threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of the 21 batters he faced, throwing 68.1% strikes overall in the game. Just as the Reds’ offense needed their outburst, Arroyo needed this gem.
•The Reds picked up the final run of the game on a Cozart double in the fifth inning, scoring Phillips. The Reds sent six more batters to the plate in the inning, picking up two more hits and a walk.
•Overall, the Reds went 11 for 27 and saw 131 pitches in the six inning game. They had been struggling offensively for some time, and this was the most runs they had scored since June 11, a game where they put up 12 runs against the Cubs.
•After the sixth inning, the tarp was brought out to cover the field, and I flipped over to watch some other things on TV, hoping the game would resume in time for me to get in bed at a decent hour. After awhile, I retired to the bedroom upstairs and went to sleep about two minutes after reading the announcement that the game had been called.
What Worked: The Reds turned in a complete effort as Arroyo looked very good and there was plenty of offense to back him up.
What Didn’t Work: The only thing that did not work in the Reds’ favor was the rain, and they really didn’t lose out on much on that end.
Where They Stand: The Reds are 47 – 36 and trail the Pirates by 5.0 games and the Cardinals by 3.0 games in the NL Central.
Overall Thoughts: This rain-shortened game was a blessing for the Reds. With the game being called after a couple hours of delay, the bullpen was saved three innings of work. The Reds got their offense in and Arroyo was awarded a complete game. It was a nice win for the Reds. The Pirates and Cardinals were both off, allowing the Reds to pick up a half game in the standings on each club.
Up Next: Game two with the Giants is tomorrow evening.
