Chris Volstad just made a sizeable donation to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

by Brendanukkah on May 5, 2009 10:42 PM EDT in Game Threads

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Brandon Phillips. After struggling for much of the season, Phillips finally enjoyed a breakout game, going 3-5 with a home run and SIX! RBI. Honorable mention to Edinson Volquez who pitched eight scoreless innings and got his fourth win of the season, and to Joey Votto who reached base in all five plate appearances.

Key Plays

Alex Gonzalez was unable to play. The Reds managed to overcome this obstacle and have one of their best offensive days of the season.
Second leadoff man Jerry Hairston, Jr. (Happy Cinco de Mayo, Cherry!) worked a walk in the first inning and stole a base, then Joey Votto drove him in with a single, as he is wont to do.
Walks continued to haunt in the third inning. Votto walked, stole second, and went to third on a wild throw. Phillips hit a single to score him, but then was thrown out attempting to steal second. Havoc works both ways.
In the fifth inning, Taveras and Hairston hit singles and Votto walked again. Bases loaded, one out, Phillips at the dish. Double play ball, right? Nope. Dem Franchize Boy hits a single to score our two speedy guys. 4-0 good guys.
With two outs in the seventh, Hairston (who also had a very good game) hit a double, Joey Votto was intentionally walked, and Reds Nation tried very hard not to wait around for a three run home run. But sometimes... when you least expect it... ~~love finds a way~~ you get one anyway. Phillips got his third hit of the day in a big way, delivering our Frisch's Big Boy Big Play of the Game.
In the ninth, the Reds broke their streak of scoring only in the odd numbered innings.
The Marlins struck out a lot and played sloppy defense.

Look ye now at true dominance:

via FanGraphs

Other Notes

The Reds have four shutouts in their last six games.
Joey Votto has played in 26 games and reached base at least once in 25 of them.
Every Reds starter had a hit except for Adam Rosales. Volquez's single means that he will not lose the race to see which member of the rotation is the last to get a hit. It's now a two horse race between Harang and Arroyo. I like Harang to get the next hit, since he looks more like a horse.
The Reds are 10-5 on the road. That's the most wins in the majors by a visiting team, and only the Phillies (7-2) have a better winning percentage away from home.

Final - 5.5.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	1	0	1	0	2	0	3	0	0	7	14	0
Florida Marlins	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2
WP: Edinson Volquez (4 - 2) LP: Chris Volstad (2 - 1)

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Comments

First!

I really have nothing else going on for me.

And good game, Reds!

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

by SullivanSmith on May 5, 2009 11:08 PM EDT reply actions

Thank you for the great recap -Ii missed most of the game, its good to a get quick accurate overview.

I would reiterate that Rosales needs a break..just to catch his breath..relax if he can and then jump right back into the lineup and see if he can continue his hot hitting.

This team is on a bit of a run and I think we’ll get hotbronson 2morrow AND I predict that he’ll get a hit. I also predict that Harang will get his next hit in June of 2010.

Not bad at all: Tied for 3rd, 2.5 back, this bodes well for 2010 or when we get that one more RH power bat.

I want to be there when a trailer full of coffins slams into a an ambulance full of terminally ill Bolivians. Or when the Reds win a WS..whichever comes first....

by Madville on May 5, 2009 11:29 PM EDT reply actions

And heading into a two game series with Milwaukee!

Second place shall be ours, oh yes!

by Brendanukkah on May 5, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Rosales' hot streak is probably over.

A rest isn’t a bad idea, but I think it’s pretty likely that he regresses into the average utility guy that most expect he will become. A .750 or so OPS, passable defense at any infield spot…not really a guy to get excited about, just a useful part.

by Geki on May 5, 2009 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably better than seeing Jerry playing 3rd everyday in EdE's absence

by timb116 on May 6, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm not so sure

I don’t Rosales’ glove is all that good.

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

by BubbaFan on May 6, 2009 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions

He seems decent...

but Cherry seems pretty good at third, too.

As it is, we have three SS/3B guys, one of whom is clearly slumping. Looks like it’s time to play the other two for at least a game or two.

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on May 6, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, but my contention is that Rosales the utility INF

is a better hitter than Jerry the why is he on the field.

by timb116 on May 6, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions

well

at least you didn’t foretell a win.

by ol Pete on May 6, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions

So,

…. if we’re in the same spot come the All Star Break, do the Reds go out and test the trade market for that big stick?

The season doesn't start until the Cincinnati Reds take the field! Reclaim The Opener!!

by TheC on May 6, 2009 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Depends where the Cards/Cubs are

If the Reds are within 5 games, I would be shocked if Walt didn’t make a deal.

by timb116 on May 6, 2009 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions

this made me laugh

more than once.

The Dark Prince of Missouri is keeping us from first place.

by Daedalus on May 5, 2009 11:35 PM EDT reply actions

Ditto

Hilarious photo caption

by River Otter on May 6, 2009 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Wasn't able to watch this game at all

Was the small crowd of Marlins fans as annoying yesterday as they were on Monday?

by Nasty N8 on May 6, 2009 9:48 AM EDT reply actions

Here's the team pitching stats for the last 6 games:

57.1 IP, 40 H, 17 BB, WHIP 1.0, 47 K

That’s just ridiculous. Makes me excited for the rest of the year.

Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?

by nycredsfan on May 6, 2009 10:59 AM EDT reply actions

And Votto's OBP is.470

Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?

by nycredsfan on May 6, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

The Reds are now

third in the league in runs allowed per game (3.96), and third from the bottom in runs scored (3.92).

In the past ten games, the pitching (well, and defense) has been even better (3.5) and the offense has scored slightly more runs (4.1), but there hasn’t exactly been a dramatic improvement.

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on May 6, 2009 11:25 AM EDT reply actions

2009 feels different to me

Past years’ teams with that run-differential, I feel, would have a losing record. This team has a winning record. Chalk it up to luck, chalk it up to different team makeup, chalk it up to small sample size. It just feels different.

Interesting 2 road trips by the Reds:
1st road trip: 7 wins, 3 losses. 3.8 runs for / 3.7 runs against
2nd road trip: 3 wins, 2 losses. 4.8 runs for / 2.2 runs against

Interesting because looking at the run differentials, I would’ve said 5-5 on the first trip, 4-1 on the second trip. Outstanding pitching, in any case! And the offense is coming around.

"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 May 6, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

2009

Two young pitchers with another year of experience, one ace with his health and two young position players with a year of experience. The rest I wouldn’t venture an opinion. From reading redreporter I’d guess that HAVOC could be a plus if Dusty didn’t have the throttle on full all the time. BP could be a big factor.

by ol Pete on May 6, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions