Rus Livingood
April 27, 2013 – Reds @ Nationals – 1:05pm – Fox Sports Cincinnati
Reds Record (13 – 11)
Away Record (1 – 7)
Nationals Record (12 – 11)
Away Record (8 – 6)
Starters: Leake (1 – 0) vs. Haren (2 – 2)
Storylines: The Reds are hoping for two or more hits today!
The Setting: Watching a full game from the comfort of my recliner.
The Game and Analysis:
•This game started out all Nationals, and my morale may have hit an all-time low. The pitcher, Dan Haren, got the scoring started with a single to plate a run in the second inning. I love to see the Reds pitchers help their own cause; opposing teams. . .not so much. The Nats scored two in the second and two in the third for a 4 – 0 lead. Somewhere around that time, I feel like shutting the TV off. This series has been brutal.
•When the Reds did score on a single by Brandon Phillips in the fourth inning, the excitement for me was short lived. Bryce Harper tattooed a ball to right field for another two runs in the bottom of the inning, making the score 6 – 1. Harper’s extension on his swing is unreal.
•Shin-Soo Choo homered in the sixth inning to make it 6 – 2. After failing to reach base for the first time as a Red yesterday, Choo got on twice in four plate appearances today, keeping his OBP above .500. His slugging percentage is .584, and do I need to write anything further about what a great pickup he has been?
•Joey Votto doubled in the fourth (scoring on Phillips’ single mentioned earlier), which has been a rare feat for him this year. It was only his second double, and he has consistently raked in the doubles year in and year out. His lack of extra base hits has been alarming to me. Several times this year, he seems to come up just short of blasting a home run or a double in the gap, looking like he has lost a little power. I don’t think this will last all season, but I sure would like to see him find his swing sooner rather than later.
•Phillips came back around with a 3 – 4 performance, but his singles only amounted to one run. This entire series has been an offensive nightmare for the Reds, and when a guy finally gets a few hits in a game, there is rarely anyone in scoring position for him.
•The Reds seemed like they were going to have something going in the seventh inning, after Jay Bruce reached on an error and Xavier Paul walked. Todd Frazier plated Bruce on an RBI single with two outs, but that was all they got.
•One of the few bright spots in the game was Sean Marshall. After barely throwing this season and going on the DL, he recently came back and is much needed in the bullpen as a lefty. He threw 11 pitches, nine of which were strikes, as he struck out two and got a harmless popup to second on the third batter he faced. Marshall’s return should reduce the workload of J. J. Hoover, who has pitched a lot so far this year. Manny Parra will no longer be the only lefty in the pen besides the closer, and that is also a good thing. Welcome back to the Reds, Sean Marshall! You were missed!
•Chris Heisey seemed to pull a hamstring while running out a grounder. He came away limping, but stayed in the game to take the field in the next half inning. He was noticeably curling and extending his leg in between pitches, and would leave the game soon after. If he goes on the disabled list, the starting left fielder and backup left fielder would both be out. Xavier Paul replaced Heisey in the game, and would be the natural replacement as the every day starter should this necessitate Heisey to miss time.
What Worked: Well, the Reds got nine hits, which is significantly better than the two previous games. Phillips had a nice day at the plate, and Marshall looked great in his return. Other than that, there was not much to be happy about. Well, Choo hit a home run and Votto got a double. I guess those were good to see.
What Didn’t Work: The Reds let the Nationals bust them up again. Heisey left the game with an injury; the Reds couldn’t string together enough walks and hits to plate many runs; the pitching was not able to hold the Nationals; and I could go on and on.
Where They Stand: The Reds are 13 – 12 and trail the Cardinals and Pirates in the NL Central.
Overall Thoughts: This makes three losses in a row for the Reds, and I would have to say they have been a disappointment so far this year. They are still over .500, but they have had two stretches of games where they have played horrible baseball. They need a win, and I do too.
Up Next: The Reds finish this four game series with Nationals tomorrow at 1:35pm.
