Cincinnati plays Butler to Pittsburgh's Duke. Reds lose, 4-3.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 16, 2010 11:35 PM EDT in Game Threads

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Andrew McCutchen. With two hits and a walk, he reached base three times tonight,. He produced once he was there, stealing a base and scoring two runs, including the game winner.

Key Plays

Mike Leake's second start got off to a rough beginning. Leadoff singles by Akinori Iwamura and Andrew McCutchen put runners on first and second, and Leake made a throwing error on Lastings Milledge's sacrifice bunt, allowing Iwamura to score. Our outfield arms prevented too much more damage, though. Garrett Jones hit a ball to Jonny Gomes that allowed McCutchen to score, but they were able to double up Milledge at second. Ryan Doumit then tried to stretch a single into a double, but Jay Bruce, like an uptight Homecoming Dance date, stopped him before he got to second base. Pirates lead, 2-0.
Crosby scored for Pittsburgh! It propelled the Penguins to a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators! Oh, but Bobby Crosby also scored for Pittsburgh, in the second inning. He replaced Andy LaRoche, who left with a sore back after walking, then moved around the bases on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Duke, a single by Ronny Cedeno (who hits so poorly that he bats ninth, after the pitcher) and scored on a single by Iwamura. Pirates lead, 3-0.
Zach Duke managed to shut down the high powered Reds offense. Weird, right? Well, he finally left the game and the bats got going. Well, the discerning batters' eyes got going. Drew Stubbs walked to lead off the inning and stole second. One out later, Brandon Phillips also walked. One out later, pinch hitter Joey Votto also walked. Then Jay Bruce and Ryan Hanigan both walked too! Then Paul Janish swung away at the first thing he saw and ended the inning. Pirates lead, 3-2.
It seemed like extra innings were in the cards for the Reds again. Pinch hitter Chris Dickerson led off the ninth inning with a triple, only to have Drew Stubbs strike out looking. Reds fans everywhere gnashed their teeth and agonized that we would let this run scoring opportunity slip by unsiezed. But no! Orlando Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly and the game was tied!
Nick Masset came on to pitch the ninth and got two quick outs. Then Andrew McCutchen singled past the shortstop and stole second on defensive indifference. That seemed to seal the Reds' fate, because Lastings Milledge then hit a single to center field and McCutchen scored without a throw. Pirates win.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

Jay Bruce's first RBI of the season came on a bases loaded walk.
The Pirates pitchers pulled a Mike Leake and walked seven baserunners.
The Reds now hate Jackie Robinson, after losing both times they all wore #42. The Reds are back to having a sub-.500 record.

Final - 4.16.2010	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R
Cincinnati Reds	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	3
Pittsburgh Pirates	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4

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Comments

Guess Rolen wasnt healthy enough to pinch hit?

He would have been a great option with the bases loaded for Janish in the 7th

by jsl413 on Apr 16, 2010 11:56 PM EDT reply actions

Yup

Rolen was out with some combination of the flu and/or a sore back. One thinks that a healthy Votto, Rolen, and Hernandez might have made a significant difference in this game.

by Brendanukkah on Apr 16, 2010 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions

In addition to a Stubbs and Bruce

who exist.

Yeah, those guys and the Cincinnati Reds. They're a terrible football team. / Because they're a baseball team? / Exactly. You know who's the worst football team? The Philadelphia Flyers. - Best Show

by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Apr 17, 2010 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

what Votto and Rolen have? Last night there were so many confusing back-ache/flu reports. I just hope they are both feeling good and in the lineup again. That was a tough one to watch even in th 8th inning when things started to improve.

by Red_Poodle on Apr 17, 2010 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Teh Fay

asked to clarify, said Votto had a sore back and both had the flu.

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

by BubbaFan on Apr 17, 2010 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

thanks for the info

I think Rolen’s age is contagious, he is giving everyone back problems lol

by Red_Poodle on Apr 17, 2010 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

veterany

by jsl413 on Apr 17, 2010 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions

maddening

I gotta say this one’s on the Masset hound. Two outs, two strikes, no one on…and he ended up giving up the walkoff win.

Letting McCutchen steal 2B was the killer.

Though I’m not sure that’s Masset’s fault. The catcher should have probably helped out there.

Guess they got complacent. :-P

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

by BubbaFan on Apr 17, 2010 12:17 AM EDT reply actions

I think it's Dusty's fault

he sucks, trade him

by jsl413 on Apr 17, 2010 4:26 AM EDT up reply actions

it's particularly maddening

because Gomes and Votto were coming up in the next inning (I think). It would have been one of our better shots at winnign the thing in extras

by Red_Poodle on Apr 17, 2010 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

I wonder

if they didn’t call for a pickoff attempt because they didn’t want to overwork the injured and ill Votto at 1B.

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

by BubbaFan on Apr 17, 2010 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

I didn't think of that and it is a possibility

but I think if he stayed in the game he and the team were pretty sure he could handle a few innings of defense. I think Massett just did a bad job of holding the runner who was particularly fast. Is Massett in general bad at that? I never realy paid attention before

by Red_Poodle on Apr 17, 2010 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

I blame The Slobbering One

Potential doesn't win games.

by Madville on Apr 17, 2010 3:34 AM EDT reply actions

Friday's Lineup

I know Dusty’s lineup issues have been beaten to death, but Miguel Cairo batting 5th?

I speculated that Mr. Cairo probably had never been asked to bat 5th, given his career .672 OPS. I was wrong; he actually batted 5th twice for the 101-game losing 2008 Mariners.

Here are Miguel’s 2008-2009 starts by lineup position:
1-3: 12
4-6: 6
7-9: 34

Cairo twice led off the inning last night. He came up in the 5th with Gomes on second and grounded out softly. Obviously this lineup decision didn’t lose the game; it was just depressing to write this in my score book.

by BBBill on Apr 17, 2010 8:32 AM EDT reply actions

The Dusty O Meter

1. Not hitting for Leake in the 7th is a blunder beyond proportion. NO excuse for that.
2. Catcher’s indifference in the 9th inning of a tie game? (and the guy had third stolen!)
3. Any lineup Baker puts out there is going to get 4 hits, maybe a couple of runs.

We can be happy with fourth place.
And then we can trade Aaron Harang to make us all feel better.

lefties tend to have looping swings for some reason, no idea why -- jch

by johnu1 on Apr 17, 2010 10:52 AM EDT reply actions

im not buying the catcher's indifference call

he had that bag stolen easy. Hanigan did the right thing holding on to it, since even a great throw wouldnt get him, and a bad one would put him on 3rd. i guess Masset could have tried to hold him on better, but frankly McCutcheon is one fast mutha. he probably could have taken the bag running backwards.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Apr 17, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, it definitely wasn't indifference.

McCutchen had the bag stolen off Masset and there was absolutely no shot with the jump he got.

by kcgard2 on Apr 17, 2010 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

all I had to go on was what the announcer said

so, if he stole it, plaudits.

lefties tend to have looping swings for some reason, no idea why -- jch

by johnu1 on Apr 17, 2010 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't mind leaving Leake in

the bullpen has been abused over the last week, the Reds really needed that extra inning.

When you get back home to Syracuse you can rest your weary head, take some pills, sniff some cocaine, and put the baby to bed.

by justin007000 on Apr 17, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

He had 4 at bats in the majors

We had no runs. We needed a hitter, not a lucky 22-year-old kid up at the plate.
This isn’t about his pitching. It’s about the manager not having the brains to realize that hitters are hitters and rookie pitchers who take a swing can sometimes reach first base. This is management by default. It sent a pretty strong message that Baker is without a clue.
We weren’t asking Leake to pitch in the 7th. We were asking him to start a rally.
What is wrong with that strategy? Let’s ask Oprah.

lefties tend to have looping swings for some reason, no idea why -- jch

by johnu1 on Apr 17, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions