More photos » by NATHAN DENETTE - AP

Dusty's new "Get a hit or I'll punch you!" strategy is paying dividends. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Joey Votto.  Joey came back to play in front of his home town and had a big day at the plate.  He went 4-5, with a double, a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.  We missed you, big guy.

Key Plays

• A rested Willy Taveras got things started for the Reds with a double to lead off the game.  Votto drove him in with a double of his own, then Jonny Gomes drove in Votto with a double of his own, Ramon Hernandez walked, and Jay Bruce drove both of them in with a double of his own.  Dusty started lifting his glasses up and down and called over to Cito Gaston, saying, "I can't see real good, is that Bronson Arroyo you've got pitching out there?"
• Gaston told him to STFU, then instructed Aaron Hill to hit a home run off Johnny Cueto.  "Sure thing, Skip."  4-1.
• No worries, eh?  The Reds got that run right back in the second with singles from Chris Dickerson, Jerry Hairston, and Votto.  With a 5-1 lead, they were laughing so hard that they didn't care that failed to knock anyone in when the bases were loaded in the 3rd.
• Cueto was cruising, but ran into some trouble in the fifth inning.  Everyone was watching to see what L.Overbay would do.  He was walking for the weekend, drawing a base on balls to start the inning.  Russ Adams singled, but Cueto got Marco Scutaro to fly out.  Two outs, and everything's cool, yeah?  No, Aaron Hill walked, and Vernon Wells hit a two run double.  Scott Rolen then hit a single, scoring another two runs and tying the game.  The Blue Jays were going off the deep end, insisting that everyone needs a second chance.
• Votto then informed them that that shit was played out and hit a home run to put the Reds back on top, in our Frisch's Big Boy Big Play of the Game.
• The Reds decided to pick up some traveler's insurance in the eighth inning.  Previously unknown Paul Janish led off the inning with a double, and Dickerson bunted him to third.  It's called playing the percentages.  It's what good managers do to win ballgames.  Then they have Willy Taveras try a suicide squeeze.  But because it was that type of day, the squeeze worked!  That's right, T-Virus got an RBI.  He also HAVOC'd his way to third base with a stolen base and a wild pitch, but Hairston and Phillips managed to strand him there.

via FanGraphs

Other Notes

• This was the first time this season Joey Votto batted cleanup.  He did pretty well there, bagging his first homer since May 26.
• Overshadowed like Farrah Fawcett, Willy Taveras had one of his best games of the season, going 3-5 with a double, an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.  Since Dusty's gonna play him there regardless, let's hope our leadoff hitter has turned a corner.
• Jonny Gomes has thrived against the AL, especially in his last five games.  He is 7-14 with 2 HR, 4 RBI, and 4 BB.
• The Reds held the Jays to only five hits, although they maximized their efforts for five runs.  They also drew four walks, which came back to haunt.  It's probably for the best though, since Reds pitching was on the verge of killing smooth music for the next ten years.

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Final - 6.25.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	4	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	7	15	0
Toronto Blue Jays	1	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	5	5	0
WP: Johnny Cueto (7 - 4) SV: Francisco Cordero (18) LP: Shawn Camp (0 - 3)

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