"Do You Believe in Improbabilities? Yes!" Reds keep winning

by Brendanukkah on Apr 20, 2009 11:37 PM EDT in Game Threads

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Joey Votto. 2-5 with 2 RBI, a run scored, and a double. 3.5 million copies sold.

Key Plays

The Reds got off to a fast start, with singles from Taveras, Votto, and Encarnacion giving the good guys a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The 'Stros scrapped one back in the second with singles from Pence and Blum. Pence scored on a fielder's choice by Pudge Rodriguez.
The Reds tried to get something going in the fourth inning when McDonald and Hanigan both singled with one out, but Janish hit into an inning-ending double play.
Janish atoned somewhat by helping turn a double play on Tejada in the sixth, which proved vital when...
Lance Berkman, who had been held relatively in check this series, hit a home run. Carlos Lee, who has been killing the Reds this series, hit a home run after him. Still, the Astros were only ahead 3-2, instead of 5-2.
Singles by Janish and Taveras and a walk to Hairston loaded the bases in the top of the seventh for Joey Votto. Every Reds fan knew that if they were going to win the game, Votto would have to deliver here, and he did with a double to left center, driving in two runs (Cherry got thrown out at the plate). Reds lead 4-3.
Arthur Rhodes made things interesting in the 8th. A leadoff double to pinch-hitter Jason Michaels and walks to Miguel Tejada and Carlos Lee were interspersed with a sac bunt from Kaz Matsui and a weak pop up by Lance Berkman. Bases loaded, two outs, and Hunter Pence at the plate. On a 3-2 count, Rhodes got him looking for our Frisch's Big Boy Big Play of the Game.
Coco got the save and the Reds held on to win, 4-3.

Other Notes

The Reds are 5-2 on their road trip, which swings into Chicago next to take on the first place Cubs. A win tomorrow moves them into first place.
Bronson Arroyo is 3-0. How 'bout that? He's tied for the league lead in wins. Francisco Cordero's 5 saves are good for second place in the majors.
Our catcher and shortstop were 3-7 with a run scored and a hit-by-pitch. Coincidentally, the pitcher who always plays with Hanigan and Janish is 3-0 while everybody else is 4-5. Hanigan also threw out a baserunner, his third this season. This was his third start. No one has successfully stolen a base on him.
Brandon Phillips and Jerry Hairston continued to struggle, both going 0-4. On the bright side, Edwin Encarnacion got two hits, including his first RBI since his grand slam.

Final - 4.20.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	4	10	0
Houston Astros	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	11	0
WP: Bronson Arroyo (3 - 0) SV: Francisco Cordero (5) LP: Geoff Geary (0 - 2)

Complete Coverage >

Tweet Comment 52 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

That graph is a beautiful thing.

These Reds certainly do know how to keep it suspenseful, I’ll give them that.

by Geki on Apr 20, 2009 11:49 PM EDT reply actions

Oh my, yes.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 20, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions

i like that i am on top on the frishes big boy big play of the game link

Yeah I fucked that up.

by justin007000 on Apr 20, 2009 11:50 PM EDT reply actions

I was getting a beet at the time.. I had to rewind to see it..

Education is what you get from reading the directions. Experience is what you get from not reading them.

by snohio on Apr 21, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Janish

Pretty good night for him, except that GIDP. 2 for 3 with a run scored, and playing in his home town.

Janish’s family is very devoted. When he was in Louisville, his mom and dad (and occasionally his girlfriend) used to e-mail Jim Kelch arguing about which one of them was Paul’s biggest fan.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Apr 20, 2009 11:53 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not too worried about Hairston

He isn’t looking lost at the dish like Brandon Phillips. He is 1-22 on this road trip with 3 walks. Seems like everytime someone is on base he is hacking at pitches not even close. Dusty has to take him out of the 4 spot until he figures things out. I know there isn’t many other options, but it’s sad when I feel better with Darnell McDonald up then Brandon Phillips right now. I love BP, and we all know he will turn things around, but it’s getting pretty ugly.

Lets try this Tuesday

Taveras CF
Dickerson LF
Votto 1B
Encarnacion 3B
Bruce RF
Phillips 2B
Owings P
Hernandez C
Gonzalez SS

If Bruce is a no – go (Dont be suprised, its going to be cold in chiacago, not friendly for a hitter battling hand issues) use Nix. Dusty has to bat Owings higher in the lineup, get him an extra AB before the pen takes over.

Find me on MySpace- http://www.myspace.com/mixfmkyle

by MixFMKyle on Apr 20, 2009 11:59 PM EDT reply actions

game's a good sign

im amazed this team won 3/4 from houston. Will Hanigan and Janish see more PT? Tomorrow is owings, i see no reason why they shouldn’t start!

by cokane on Apr 20, 2009 11:59 PM EDT reply actions

I'd love to see at least one of those two gents tomorrow

or at the very least Owings in the 7th slot.

I got to go down to the stadium and whip batteries at the players on both teams. - Philly Boy Roy

by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Apr 21, 2009 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Janish needs to spell BP tomorrow

BP just looks like a guy who needs a day off right now.

"I can eat mayonnaise with a spoon." - Jeff Brantley

by BK on Apr 21, 2009 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions

good point

id rather they put hairston in and still keep janish at SS. Should keep Janish in 3/5 games at this point as long as he hits over .250 or so.

by cokane on Apr 21, 2009 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I think the homoeroticism in the threads must have triggered something

because I see a Gay Mature Dating ad up top.

by ken on Apr 21, 2009 12:19 AM EDT reply actions

So far I have been entertained

So if we beat the cubs tommorrow than we are in first place of the division. Early yet still very entertaining.

by Nasty Nati on Apr 21, 2009 1:06 AM EDT reply actions

while automatic for the people is good ....

nothing beats

if it hadn’t been for that stupid shiny happy people, the album would be a classic from start to finish.

"I never use a big word when a diminutive one will work." — Pete Mackanin.

by joshuar9476 on Apr 21, 2009 4:36 AM EDT reply actions

I sort of love that song actually.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Apr 21, 2009 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions

losing my religion, texarkana, low, and country feedback

all 4 are probably in my top favorite 20 songs

"I never use a big word when a diminutive one will work." — Pete Mackanin.

by joshuar9476 on Apr 21, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Murmur

is easily the best work they ever did.

Consider the Eskimos.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Apr 21, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm partial to

But then that kind of shows my age..

Education is what you get from reading the directions. Experience is what you get from not reading them.

by snohio on Apr 21, 2009 9:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Hear hear

This is Bill Berry’s masterpiece—REM’s rhythm section at its finest. Also a searing indictment of Reagan’s politics. Love it. Murmur slots in at a close 2nd for me.

by teb7 on Apr 21, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions

When it comes to their recent stuff...

I find myself listening to Reveal a lot. Am I the only one?

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Apr 21, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm not saying it's their best work

but Up is easily their most underrated album. It came out right when Bill Berry quit the band, and you can hear tension and angst in the music…….cause, you know, the rest of their stuff is so upbeat.

by nycredsfan on Apr 21, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I like Up

I also thought Monster got shit on way more than it deserved.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 21, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

i didnt hate Monster

Crush with Eyeliner was pretty stupid, but Kenneth and I Dont Sleep I Dream are a couple of my favorite REM tunes.

Consider the Eskimos.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Apr 21, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Monster is cool

But even if it was shat on, it sold a ton of copies. Up sold like 85, and half of those were bought by guys in my college dorm.

And I kinda like Crush with Eyeliner

by nycredsfan on Apr 21, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

the big ticket

I think we, collectively, are really downplaying Arroyo’s contribution this season. It looks like he might have known what he was doing in spring training stretching out his arm and taking a drubbing.

"I've actually never had a drink before, tonight I might try it out. We'll see."
—Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, on turning 21

by obc2 on Apr 21, 2009 8:31 AM EDT reply actions

Dude, give it up

He’s not gonna let you on his boat. :)

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Apr 21, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm impressed that he he didn't walk anybody last night

Really good game from Arroyo, apart from the home runs to Berkman and Lee, which I think are forgivable (mostly because we won). Bronson tends to get hit hard in Houston, and Berkman and Lee are certainly two guys you expect to get big hits. Big thumbs up to Arroyo last night.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 21, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

I wasn't watching the game

well, sorta, but not really (thanks ESPN!) but did it seem like Arroyo was getting hit hard or just getting blooped to death (HRs besides). It seems to me that Dusty did a decent job of getting the most out of him, though of course he fell apart a bit in the 6th. Narron would’ve left him in for another inning, I feel.

Drinking Slyde's haterade since 2009.

by Cy Schourek on Apr 21, 2009 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Reds outscored in Houston 13-10

and still manage to win 3 of 4. These aren’t your Reds of 2008.

"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handey

by JJ on Apr 21, 2009 8:38 AM EDT reply actions

"our bullpen is like getting hit over the head with a bottle of fine wine"

I don’t get it.

But here’s to more HanJan playing time.

Drinking Slyde's haterade since 2009.

by Cy Schourek on Apr 21, 2009 8:53 AM EDT reply actions

it isn't pleasant

but you are with your snobby friends so you act like you like it?

Yeah I fucked that up.

by justin007000 on Apr 21, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

I was kind of stretching for metaphors and trying to get this posted quickly

I think what I meant was some sort of double-layered thing like, “A fine wine gets better with age, cuz our relievers are old, but it’s also the kind of wine that will FUCK YOU UP.”

Let’s just agree that it didn’t work.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 21, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

This is my favorite post on the internet of all time

Needless to say, this didn't work and everybody died.

by SullivanSmith on Apr 21, 2009 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

It starts here.

FREE JANISH AND HANIGAN

"I never should have given up the animation rights."

by BobbyO on Apr 21, 2009 9:06 AM EDT reply actions

second'd

by nycredsfan on Apr 21, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Third'd

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Apr 21, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

i didnt see Votto's double

how close was the play on Cherry?

Consider the Eskimos.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Apr 21, 2009 10:07 AM EDT reply actions

He was out by a good bit

But he almost avoided the tag.

by nycredsfan on Apr 21, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

I saw the replay later on ESPN

More of the same Mark Berry HAVOC, sending the runner from third with less than two out. I think we should start a special Mark Berry HAVOC watch. I wonder how many outfield assists at home there have been this year against the Reds?

How many were there last year? It seemed like we had an inordinate amount of them, and a lot of them were not even close.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Apr 21, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

it took a perfect bounce off the wall

and it had to be played absolutely perfectly to get him – which it was.

It wasn’t a bad send – especially since we grabbed the lead with the first 2 runners and since the hitters are going so poorly right now as is.

"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handey

by JJ on Apr 21, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I diagree.

He saw the ball get fielded, he knew it was on the way to the cut-off man. He should have held Cherry so BP could get him home

by timb116 on Apr 21, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

BP couldn't get a shut-in home at this point

by Brendanukkah on Apr 21, 2009 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

wakka wakka

Consider the Eskimos.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Apr 21, 2009 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

That's my clean up hitter

by timb116 on Apr 21, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

But I don't disgree too strenuously

It wasn’t a terrible “send him home,” it was just not good.

by timb116 on Apr 21, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

I would like to see more of Hanigan and Janish too.

3 for 7 is much better than the enormous sucking sound we normally hear when Gonzalez and Hernandez are in there.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Apr 21, 2009 10:38 AM EDT reply actions

FWIW

Cordero is now tied for 34th on the all-time saves list with Dave Smith. He has 216 saves. His next save moves him into a tie for 33rd with Gregg Olsen.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 21, 2009 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

The AP game recap mentions...

that the Reds have trailed in 10 of 12 games this season. And while obviously, teams will tend to have trailed in most games they play (all of the losses + some of the wins), this seems fairly impressive given their record.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Apr 21, 2009 10:58 AM EDT reply actions

Especially with new leadership in the clubhouse

Votto and Bruce and BP… keeping the attitude right.

It also means the bullpen is keeping the team in the game.

"Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you!"

by "Red" Moskau on Apr 21, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

It also means the team has been pretty lucky

I think all but one of the wins has been by 2 runs or less.

And I agree, the ‘pen has generally been really solid, but do we think Stormy Rhode can keep a zero era all year? The offense has to pick up a bunch or the winning record won’t last long.

Having said all that, it does feel more hopeful this year, somehow. Last couple of years I felt like if the team wasn’t hitting in the first few innings and fell behind, that was it. This year, they’ve been getting to the opposing bullpen and scoring late runs. Part of that is knocking the starter out fairly early due to the newfound plate patience.

by nycredsfan on Apr 21, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

The patience at the plate and willingness to take walks and make pitchers work is the single saving grace for the Reds offense right now.

Well, aside from Votto, who’s just mashing.

by ThePensive on Apr 21, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Also, some credit for the victory should go

Cecil Cooper, whose recent contract extension guaranteed he can captain the Titanic that is the SS 2009 Astros.

If not for Cooper having the forethought to give the Reds an out by having Matsui bunt in the 8th, the entire inning might have turned out differently and his team would have the heart of the order up with 2 on and no one out. “Instead of asking my lead-off hitter to hiot the ball to the right side….where he might actually get a hit, let’s just give up the out! genius!”

So, thanks Cecil. If you’d like to journey with the Reds and kneecap Soriano for me, the team will pay half your air fare

by timb116 on Apr 21, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

Yes Cecil took a page from the 'Baseball Man's Guide to Managing" by Dusty baker

But you gotta admit Cecil is looking sharp with his Welsh-omatic ‘stache and his hat ’just so’.

A lot of credit of the victory should be given to Grandfather Rhodes, who obliviously was going for the Stormy Graves award for most base runners allowed in an inning without allowing a run. But the old fellow found a way to get the job done. Kudos to him.

Its probably going to happen - bend over

by Madville on Apr 21, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions