Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Chris Carpenter. He pitched eight innings of one-run ball, giving up four hits and walking none. He didn't even seem to be working very hard until the eighth inning.
Key Plays
- A leadoff double by Orlando Cabrera gave the Reds the first baserunner. Of course, Brandon Phillips bunted him to third. Votto lined into a double play to end the inning without scoring.
- The Reds didn't make Carpenter work much for a while, and Sam LeCure muddled through without giving up any runs until the fourth. He hit Yadier Molina, and then Brendan Ryan hit one hard in the direction of Jonny Gomes. Gomes ran the wrong way and then watched it go over his head for a triple, scoring a run. Cardinals lead, 1-0.
- In the sixth, LeCure gave up two walks and a single to load the bases before striking out Carpenter. Daniel Ray Herrera came in to allow a sacrifice fly to score a run. Then Logan Ondrusek entered, allowing a run-scoring single before getting Albert Pujols to ground out. Cardinals up, 3-0.
- The Reds got one back in the 7th after BP singled, Joey Votto was hit by a pitch, and Scott Rolen singled. They could have gotten more, except that with Rolen on first and Votto on third, Jay Bruce hit one hard towards right field. Unfortunately, it bounced high to hit Rolen, who was ruled out. Votto had to go back to third. A Gomes strikeout and a Stubbs flyout ended the threat. Cardinals still lead, 3-1.
- Ondrusek stayed in to allow a Matt Holliday HR to lead off the eighth. Arthur Rhodes then came in to shut down the Cardinals for an inning. Still, Cardinals lead 4-1.
Other Notes
- The Reds and Cardinals are now tied for first in the NL Central.
- They don't meet again until August 9. Hooray?
- I almost forgot about this, but LeCure pitched pretty well tonight. One of those runs definitely shouldn't count against him, but regardless he kept the team in it. It just wasn't enough the way the offense (and luck) was going tonight.