The Reds used havoc to their advantage today, and it paid off in the end.
- First Brandon Phillips doubled in the 2nd and was advanced on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly. Small ball getting it done.
- Then, in the 7th inning, Jonny Gomes was hit by pitch and advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw. He scored on a sacrifice fly. Manufacturing runs is where it's at! Side note: Jonny Gomes is doing everything he can to make this team. I'd say the Dickerson-Gomes platoon is looking pretty solid so far. The only thing in question is whether Jerry Hairston will bump one of them if Alex Gonzalez is healthy enough to play SS.
- In the 10th, Chris Valaika doubled, Drew Stubbs walked, and Danny Richar sacrificed them up a base. After an intentional walk to Kevin Barker, Todd Frazier singled everybody up a base to tie the game at 6. Scrap-o-rific!
- They also scored on a two-run double by Laynce Nix and a SOLO home run by Kevin Barker, but those runs hardly even count since they didn't really work for them.
- Oh yeah, and Darnell McDonald hit the Reds 4th grand slam of the Spring, a walk-off job to give the Reds a 10-6 victory.
- The bullpen managed to lose multi-run leads for the Reds two different times, and Ben Jukich didn't do much for his chances of making the squad. He surrendered 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk over 2 innings pitched.
- Sam Lecure, Aaron Fultz, and Josh Roenicke also surrendered a run, nearly canceling out the positive value of today's havoc. Roenicke dodged his second loss of the season, and actually ended up with a win. He needs to start pitching a little better or we're going to be forced to make up numbers to justify a roster spot for him.
- And Nick Masset pitched okay, I guess. Stupid jerk.
- David Weathers had a 1-2-3 inning. Clearly it was an impostor.
The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game goes to Darnell McDonald. Oh sure he struck out his first two times up to bat, but the dude hit a walk-off grand slam. He's like Adam Dunn or something.