Syracuse, NY (Friday, June 11, 2010) - This game was originally billed as Matt Klinker vs. Craig Stammen.  I hadn't seen either of those pitchers before, and was looking forward to it.  Stammen, the pride of Coldwater, Ohio, had just been sent down to make room for Stephen Strasburg.  He was listed as the probable pitcher on the Chiefs web site practically up until game time, but for some reason was switched to the next day.  Meanwhile, Klinker was send down to AA.  

Instead, the starting pitcher was the pride of Defiance, Ohio, Chad Reineke.

I was underwhelmed at this, since the last time I saw him, he gave up the walkoff homer to the weakest hitter in the lineup.

Instead of Stammen, the Chiefs sent honkballer Shairon Martis to the mound.

It was a Friday night, so there were more fans than there had been the day before.  There were still a lot of empty seats, though, and the season ticket holders were all wondering why.  The prevailing theory was that with Strasburg gone, so were all the casual fans.

Does Zack Cozart have what it takes to be the Reds' every day SS?

I dunno, but my scouts say he's got big league tigrmetrics!  ;-)

Not playing, but hanging around on the field before the game, our number 1 prospect.

Todd Frazier seems like a really nice guy.

He's always willing to sign autographs.  

Second baseman Chris Valaika.

Wladimir Balentien

The manager, Ricky Joe Sweet.

Drew Sutton

Yonder Alonso.

Danny Dorn, still recovering from his broken hand, coached first base.

Martis was the more dominant pitcher.  He gave up 5 hits in 6.1 innings. No runs, 2 walks, 3 Ks.

Reineke wasn't as bad as I feared, but he wasn't good, either.  He gave up 10 hits, 4 runs, with 1 walk and 3 K's.

There weren't a lot of highlights for the Bats in this game.  This was back when they were in a serious offensive slump.

I also wonder if there's something wrong with the field there.  I never saw so many players with holes torn in their pants. 

Or maybe it was the laundry service that was the problem.  Chris Duncan had a hole in his pants before the game even started.

Chase Lambin also had extra ventilation:

There were a couple of others, too.  It was really odd.

Drew Sutton went 0 for 4 with a walk.

Jason Botts catches a Drew Sutton fly out.

Todd Frazier breaks his bat.

He was also 0 for 4.

Yonder Alonso singles.

He was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Chris Duncan fields a groundout.

Justin Maxwell catches a Chris Burke fly out.

Pete Orr triples.

I suspect it would not have been a triple if Wladimir Balentien weren't playing RF.  But Orr had a great game: 3 for 4 with a double as well as the triple.

Justin Maxwell singles.

Maxwell, still considered one of the Nats' top prospects, was 3 for 4.

Maxwell steals second base, avoiding Valaika's tag.

The Bats were down 5-0 by the 8th inning, and I was wondering if it was going to be a shutout.

Nay, sayeth Balentien.  He homered off Jason Bergmann in the 8th, making it 5-1.

Boomer Whiting gives it a courtesy chase. (That white dot up the upper left is the ball.)

"The Cycle," Joseph Krebs, pitched the last 1.2 innings.  (Jesus Delgado, since sent down, was unable to get out of the 7th.)

The Bats did show some signs of life in the 9th.

Chris Burke singled.

Burke, since cut loose by the Reds, was 2 for 4 with a double.  

He scored on a Valaika double.

Chris Denove struck out swinging, and pinch-hitter Jake Long came in for Krebs.  Long, a catcher who has since been released, singled, moving Valaika to 3B.

Alas, the rally fell short.  Sutton grounded into a forceout that scored Valaika, then Cozart popped out. 

Final score, Bats 3, Chiefs 5.