Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Player of the Game
Matt Cain. The talented Giants pitcher threw a complete game shutout, sprinkling seven hits and two walks over his nine innings. He struck out five, and also got two hits of his own, and his first RBI of the year. Honorable mention goes to Sam LeCure and Arthur Rhodes.
Key Plays
- The Reds never mounted a serious attack except for in the second inning. Brandon Phillips's hit in the first was negated when he got picked off first base after Joey Votto flied out to right. Anyway, in the second, Scott Rolen led off with a double, and advanced to third on Jay Bruce's fly out to center. Rolen was actually beaten by Andres Torres's throw, but Pablo Sandoval dropped the ball. Then Laynce Nix chopped a ball to Freddy Sanchez. Rolen was running on contact and Sanchez threw home to catch him in a rundown.
- Juan Uribe homered in the fourth inning. Giants lead, 1-0.
- Sam LeCure pitched a very good game (although our Giants fan friends will tell us that everyone opposing Matt Cain has a good night on the bump), and turned it over to the nightmarish bullpen. In the eighth inning, Nick Masset came in with one out and recorded a second in short order. Then he gave up a double to Pat Burrell and walked Buster Posey more or less intentionally to facie Bengie Molina, who was in a 4-52 slump. Naturally Molina singled and scored pinch runner Nate Schierholtz. Then Matt Cain singled, his second hit of the night, and Posey scored as well. Giants lead, 3-0.
Other Notes
- Brandon Phillips got three hits, but twice made outs on the basepaths. He has been caught stealing six times this year.
- This was Cain's third complete game in his last five starts. Over that period, he's pitched 40 innings, and only allowed three runs. He's good.
- The announced crowd was 13,011. The Reds didn't play like a first place team, and the fans didn't come out like they were supporting a first place team.
- Six pitchers appeared in this game and combined to strike out eleven batters. Stephen Strasburg struck out fourteen by himself.
- The Reds had several well hit balls that were caught by Giants defenders. Laynce Nix and Chris Heisey both had excellent diving catches as well.