Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Bengie Molina.  The San Francisco catcher went 3-4 with a double, a home run, 3 RBI, and a run scored.

Key Plays

• The Reds' first inning woes continued tonight, as Eugenio Velez led off the game with a single, advanced to second and scored on Bengie Molina's double.  Despite putting up ten runs last night, optimism was not high to surmount this one run deficit.
• And surmount it they did not.  However, the Reds did pull even when Brandon Phillips's leadoff walk haunted the Giants as he scored on Wladimir Balentien's double.
• Brandon Phillips scored the Reds second run as well, when he doubled in the fourth inning.  Jonny Gomes hit a single to bring him in and gave the Reds the lead.  ZOMG!
• It was short-lived, and the Giants pulled away for good in the sixth inning.  Velez hit a leadoff home run to tie the affair, and old NL Central foe Freddy Sanchez reached on a single.  Alex Gonzalez made a throwing error on a popup and Sanchez advanced to third base.  Bengie Molina followed that with a single up the middle and the Giants were winning, 3-2.
• To cap off his big day, Molina homered in the eighth inning.

via FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Scott Rolen was a late scratch, missing the game with "concussion-like symptoms."  He's being flown back to Cincinnati for evaluation.  Rolen, of course, was hit in the head with a pitch by Jason Marquis.
• The Reds have given up 96 first inning runs, most in the majors.  When your offense is not strong, it doesn't help to be immediately facing a deficit.
• If it seems like Eugenio Velez has been dominating Reds pitching, your hunch is correct.  He has four career home runs, and three of them have come against the Reds.
• Despite the fact that Scott Rolen has missed more games than he's played since coming to the Reds, the trade for Wladimir Balentien seems to be paying dividends.  He has a hit in every game he's started for the Reds.
• Joey Votto went hitless today with three strikeouts.  Jo-eh is in a bit of a slump, going 1-17 with 10 strikeouts in that time.  Brandon Phillips though has hits in 8 of his last 9 games.

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Final - 8.8.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	3
San Francisco Giants	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	X	4	8	0
WP: Barry Zito (8 - 10) SV: Brian Wilson (28) LP: Bronson Arroyo (10 - 11)

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