by John Bazemore - AP

Hang in there. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Bronson Arroyo.  7 innings of one run ball gets him his team-high twelfth win of the season.  Jonny Gomes, Wladimir Balentien and Brandon Phillips all had multi-hit games and Scott Rolen did well both at the dish and on the field.

Key Plays

• It seemed that Badroyo was en route to a Toronto-esque start in the first inning.  He gave up back to back singles to Matt Diaz and Martin Prado, then walked Chipper Jones.  Bases loaded, no outs.  Ruh Roroyo.  Who can get them out of this jam?  Brian McCann!  A grounder to Scott Rolen led to the 5-2-3 double play, and Adam LaRoche flew out.  Scoreless inning.
• Jonny Gomes hit his 17th homer in the second inning.  Balentien followed that up with a triple, but Corky Miller grounded out to end the inning.
• In the fourth inning, Adam LaRoche reached on an error by Votto, and then Yunel Escobar was called out on batter's interference.  Shockingly enough, Bobby Cox was thrown out for arguing on behalf of his player.  While it's a bit of a farce at this point how often Cox gets tossed, it's nice to see a manager with some fire and willing to stand up for his players.
• Escobar did have to leave the game with an ankle injury.  Nate McClouth replaced him in the lineup.
• In the fifth inning, Balentien led off with a double.  Corky Miller bunted him to third... in front of the pitcher.  Arroyo popped out, and then Drew Stubbs flew out.  It might have been long enough to score Wlad, but the sac bunt insured that that was the third out.
• The Braves threatened in the bottom of the fifth with singles from Derek Lowe and Matt Diaz.  But Corky picked Lowe off of second, then Arroyo retired Prado and Chipper.
• The beef of the Reds order decided to impose their will on the game in the sixth inning.  With one out, Joey Votto drew a walk, and then scored when Brandon Phillips hit a double.  Scott Rolen continued to impress, hitting a single to drive in Phillips.  Jonny Gomes singled too, but the hot-hitting Balentien grounded into a double play to end the inning.  Reds 3, Braves 0.
• I mean, Braves 1.  Nate McClouth hit a home run in the bottom of the sixth.
• The heart of the order tried to widen the lead in the eighth inning.  Votto again walked with one out, and Phillips singled.  Scott Rolen reached on Chipper's fielding error to load the bases.  Unfortunately, Gomes struck out and Balentien popped out.
• Didn't matter.  Arthur Rhodes and Francisco Cordero slammed the door on the Braves, and the Reds win again!


via FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Bronson has a 1.99 ERA over his last six starts.
• The Reds have won their fifth straight game, tying a season high.
• That was Wladimir Balentien's first career triple.
• Gomes has 17 home runs in 249 plate appearances.  He had 17 home runs in 2007 too, but it took him 394 plate appearances.  His career high is 21 homers, and if he had come up with the team from spring training instead of making his Reds debut on May 22, he would easily have broken that mark.  He may still do it.

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Final - 9.4.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	8	1
Atlanta Braves	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	1
WP: Bronson Arroyo (12 - 12) SV: Francisco Cordero (31) LP: Derek Lowe (13 - 9)

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