Rus Livingood
July 10, 2013 – Reds @ Brewers – 2:10pm – Fox Sports Cincinnati
Reds Record (50 – 40)
Away Record (20 – 24)
Brewers Record (37 – 52)
Home Record (22 – 25)
Starters: Leake (7 – 4) vs. Hellweg (0 – 2)
The Setting: I didn’t even bother to try following the game at work. I decided to just catch up on the DVR at home. It wasn’t busy at work due to impending rain, and the rain we have had for the past several weeks, but I knew I was going to be busy catching some stuff up. I hope to have the majority of the game watched by my 6pm cookout. For dessert, I am making grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream, a rum reduction glaze, and toasted coconut flakes. Yes, I like to go all out.
The Game and Analysis:
•Well, the Reds definitely needed this victory. They had lost three in a row, including two games where they had given up a combined five runs to the Brewers, a club that was way below .500. But the Reds came out with a purpose today it seemed, scoring runs in four of their first five innings. After all was said and done, they ended this series with a 6 – 2 victory.
•The Reds showed an immediate improvement in their offense from last game as Shin-Soo Choo opened with a ground-rule double to left field. The next two batters failed to move him over, however, but Brandon Phillips came through with a two out single. Phillips was thrown out trying to go to second on the throw. He got in his patented Brandon Phillips Rundown, where he eludes the fielders for a few throws, then falls down to try and avoid the inevitable tag, hoping to get back up and make it to the base untouched. It didn’t work. The Score was 1 – 0 Reds after the first inning.
•The Brewers did not waste any time getting on the board either. Logan Schafer led off the bottom with the first with a double. Jean Segura singled to put eunners on the corners with no outs, and a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gomez tied the score at 1 – 1. Devin Mesoraco threw out Segura on a stolen base attempt, and then Jonathan Lucroy popped out to second to end the inning. It was great to see Mesoraco throw out a runner, as he has struggled with that aspect of his game lately.
•The Reds started the second inning off well. Jay Bruce singled, Todd Frazier was hit by a pitch, and Xavier Paul walked to load the bases with no outs. Mesoraco hit a sacrifice fly to score Bruce and allow Frazier to advance to third. Mike Leake, a pitcher that can handle himself at the plate, missed a bunt attempt and then hit into a double play to end the inning and keep the score at 2 – 1 Reds.
•The Reds picked up another run in the third on a Brandon Phillips RBI groundout that scored Zack Cozart. Choo ;ed off the inning with a walk but was out at second on a fielder’s choice that put Cozart on first. Votto followed with a double to set up Phillips’ RBI. After three innings, the Reds he;d a 3 – 1 lead.
•The Reds came up with a couple of defensive playes in the third and fourth that helped save some runs. In the third, there was a runner on first when Segura laid down what could be called a “safety squeeze” with two outs. It was a running bunt toward third base, and the speedy Segura was going to make Frazier have to make an amazing play to nail him at first. Instead, Frazier barehanded the ball and fired home to get the runner at the plate and end the inning. Impressive! In the fourth, back to back walks to start the inning put the Reds in trouble. What followed next is hard to say. That is because I have no idea what Gomez was thinking as the runner on second. Rickie Weeks hit a hard one-hopper to short, which Cozart fielded cleanly. Gomez returned to second, though. Cozart began to try for the double play, but seeing Gomez made him hesitate and look to third to get the lead runner. He realized he could get more, though, so he tossed the ball to second for the force out, and then they had Gomez in a rundown. The play went down as your routine 6-4-5-6 double play. Heads up by Cozart; head in the sand by Gomez.
•The Reds stretched their lead to 4 – 1 in the fifth. Cozart and Votto drew walks to start the inning, and a fielder’s choice off the bat of Phillips put runners at first and third. Bruce grounded out to first to plate Cozart. Three of the four Reds runs came on outs, and the Phillips RBI single in the first ended up being an out as Phillips tried to advance to second. Four runs on (technically) four out plays. Weird. That is the result of getting guys on base.
•Sean Halton would hit his first career homer for the Brewers to lead off their half of the fifth. Though he had given up a few walks, this was the first hit off Leake since he allowed hits to the first two batters of the game. After five innings, it was 4 – 2 Reds.
•The final two runs of the game were scored in the seventh. Choo singled, and then Votto walked with one out. Phillips knocked in Choo with a single, his third RBI of the game. Bruce followed with an RBI single of his own, his second RBI of the game. It was 6 – 2 Reds.
•Leake made it into the ninth inning, but left the game after giving up a one out single to Lucroy. Leake threw twelve pitches to the two batters he faced in the ninth, and I imagine he was going to be given a chance to retire the side and go for the complete game unless he got into trouble or hit a certain number of pitches. His final line was 8.1 innings, four hits, four walks, 2 runs, and 2 strikeouts on 106 pitches. He lowered his ERA to 2.69 on the year.
•Aroldis Chapman nailed down the final two outs of the game in a non-save situation, striking out Yuniesky Betancourt to end the game.
What Worked: The Reds got lots of runners on base early in the innings, allowing them scoring opportunities on routine outs. Leake pitched a very good game. The Reds came up with several good defensive plays to back Leake.
What Didn’t Work: I am still puzzled by Gomez’s base running decision on the eventual double play. I am not complaining, though.
Where They Stand: The Reds are 51 – 40 and trail the Cardinals by 5.0 games and the Pirates by 3.5 games in the NL Central.
Overall Thoughts: The Reds had dropped three in a row and desperately needed this win. I’m glad the Reds offense showed up for this game, and they were able to end the series on a positive note. Oh, and the grilled pinapple dessert was amazing, of course!
Up Next: The Reds head to Atlanta for a four game set to wrap up the unofficial first half of the season.
