Dozens thrill to the adventure! Reds win a wild one, 4-3.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Drew Stubbs.  The rookie went 2-4 with a home run, two runs scored and a stolen base.

Key Plays

• Drew Stubbs hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning, Cincinnati's first leadoff home run of the season.
• Kip Wells made sure the lead did not hold up long.  In the bottom of the second, he walked Lastings Milledge with two outs, hit Ronny Cedeno with a pitch, then gave up back to back singles to Jason Jaramillo and Daniel McCutchen.  The Reds were down, 2-1.
• The Drew Crew helped put the Reds back on top in the third.  With one out, Drew Stubbs singled and stole second.  Drew Sutton then singled to drive him in, and took second base on the throw.  After moving to third on Joey Votto's grounder, Sutton scored when Scott Rolen singled.  3-2, Reds.
• Carlos Fisher relieved Kip Wells in the seventh, and immediately gave up a triple to Ronny Cedeno, and a single to Jaramillo.  The game was tied, and extras loomed.
• Opening Day centerfielder Darnell McDonald wouldn't let that happen.  He singled with one out in the ninth, moved to second on Craig Tatum's hit, and advanced to third on a fly ball by Paul Janish.  Then, with JNMHSotG Drew Stubbs at the plate, Pirates pitcher Jesse Chavez uncorked a wild pitch, and McDonald scored the winning run.

 
via FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Official attendance was 13,051.  Estimates put the actual body count between 1,500 and 2,000.
• This game was a make up game for one that was rained out on April 10.  Only Ryan Doumit and Adam Andy LaRoche were left from the Pirates lineup.  I can't find a lineup for the Reds from that day, but of the starting lineup this afternoon, only Joey Votto was with the Reds on April 10.
• Johnny Cueto was the scheduled pitcher on April 10.  He will start tonight's game.
• There have only been two major league baseball players with the last name of McCutchen.  They both played for the Pirates today.