Rus Livingood
July 28, 2013 – Reds @ Dodgers – 4:10pm – Fox Sports Cincinnati
Reds Record (59 – 46)
Away Record (27 – 29)
Dodgers Record (55 – 48)
Home Record (29 – 24)
Starters: Cingrani (4 –1) vs. Capuano (3 – 6)
The Setting: After a long few days of this conference I was at, and a long few days of trying to watch West Coast games, I am looking forward to a relaxing afternoon of live baseball watching with the family. Hopefully I get a good game to go along with this free time.
The Game and Analysis:
•The starting pitchers both turned in great performances in this game, but the bats for both teams were missing. It was a scoreless game after nine innings, and would remain that way until the bottom of the eleventh. Yasiel Puig would belt a two-out home run off Curtis Partch for the 1 – 0 Dodgers walk-off victory. Details are below.
•Tony Cingrani threw 7.0 innings of shutout baseball, allowing only one hit and one walk. He struck out 11 batters, which tied his career high. The hit he gave up was a two-out single in the third by the opposing pitcher, Chris Capuano. Capuano singled up the middle for his first hit of the season.
•Capuano allowed only three hits over 6 2/3 innings, and retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. He only threw 83 pitches, but was taken out in the seventh inning after retiring Jay Bruce for the second out. Capuano did not walk a batter, and threw first pitch strikes to 19 of the 23 batters he faced. He pounded the strike zone all day, at 71% strike rate.
•The Reds had a couple of golden opportunities in the later innings, but could not capitalize. In the sixth, Devin Mesoraco led off with a double and was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Cingrani. Derrick Robinson chopped a ball to third, and Mesoraco broke for home. Juan Uribe fired home in plenty of time, and Mesoraco was tagged out in a rundown. In the seventh, Joey Votto led off with a double, but Brandon Phillips and Bruce both flied out and Votto could not advance. After Capuano handed the ball over to reliever Ronald Belisario, Todd Frazier walked and Zack Cozart struck out to end the inning.
•After Capuano’s single in the third, Mark Ellis hit a long fly ball to left field that Chris Heisey caught right at the short wall. It was a foot or two away from a two-run homer.
•Cingrani had not allowed another base runner than Capuano through six innings of work. Puig drew a full-count walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and Cingrani promptly picked him off.
•Votto picked up two of the Reds’ three hits. The rest of the team was 1 – 30. The team was 0 -6 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.
•Reliever Partch got himself out of a jam in the bottom of the tenth, striking out the last two batters of the inning with a man on second and one out. In the eleventh, he retired the first two batters before Puig connected for the homer that won the ballgame. Puig would flamboyantly flip his bat immediately after his swing, and then slid into home plate where his teammates were waiting for him. Maybe someone should talk to Mr. Puig about not showing up the other team. It’s not the playoffs or the World Series; why do you have to celebrate like that?
•In the loss, the Reds set a franchise record with 20 strikeouts. Cingrani had 11; Manny Parra struck out the only two batters he faced; Sam LeCure struck out four in 1.1 innings, and Partch notched the final three.
What Worked: The pitching was terrific! Even late in the game when the Dodgers were getting on base more frequently, the relievers stood their ground. Everything except for that one mistake pitch was about all you can ask for.
What Didn’t Work: The Reds wasted two great opportunities, and the decision for Mesoraco to go home might have been a grievous error. We’ll never know. Partch made the one mistake pitch that ended the game.
Where They Stand: The Reds are 59 – 47 and trail the Cardinals by 5.0 games and the Pirates by 3.5 games in the NL Central.
Overall Thoughts: That is three games in a row now that the Reds have lost, and the offense is barely sputtering along. The pitching is looking good, but it seems like the bats are made of lead.
Up Next: The Reds travel to San Diego to finish this West Coast trip with three games against the Padres.
