Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Miguel Cairo.  Only four Reds had hits in this game, and Cairo's drove in the winning runs.  Also, Cairo is a much better city located on the Mississippi.  Honorable mentions go to Joey Votto and Francisco Cordero.

Key Plays

• After a scoreless first inning for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, the Reds gave up some runs in the second inning instead.  Noted Reds killer Lance Berkman hit a double, and then scored when David Freese threatened Gotham with his ice ray singled.  Cardinals lead, 1-0.
• Noted douchebag Chris Carpenter hit a double off of Travis Wood in the third inning.  Ryan Theriot sacrificed him to third, and... wait, Ryan Theriot was leading off?  Jesus.  Anyway, Colby Rasmus hit a sacrifice fly.  Cardinals lead, 2-0.
• The glorious comeback began in the sixth inning.  Brandon Phillips, whom every Cardinals fan would love to have playing second base for them, walked and Joey Votto, who is better than Albert Pujols, homered.  Game tied, 2-2.
• Pujols did homer in the bottom of the sixth, but it was only a solo shot and therefore only half as good as Votto's.  Cardinals lead, 3-2.
• Then the rains came.
• In the eighth inning, with Miguel Batista on the bump, Drew Stubbs hit a ball to third base that David Freese threw away.  Stubbs used his speed to turn a seeming groundout into a Dynamic Duo.  Standing on second base with two outs, Stubbs watched as Joey Votto was intentionally walked, and Jonny Gomes was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Trever Miller came in and walked Jay Bruce, forcing in Stubbs as the tying run.  Then Ryan Franklin, still doing his impression of Jim Breuer doing Goat Boy, gave up a single to Miguel Cairo.  Reds win, 5-3.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Francisco Cordero finally got another save.  He's at 293 in his career, tied with former Cardinal and former Reds farmhand Jason Isringhausen for 22nd all time.
• Chris Carpenter had not had a loss or a no decision in a start against Cincinnati since Aug. 9, 2006.  That was one of his many duels with Aaron Harang.  Jason Isringhausen blew the save (he could have still been ahead of Coco!) and none other than Ryan Franklin got the win for the Reds.  Carpenter last lost to the Reds on June 6, 2006.  Eric Milton was the winning pitcher.  Carpenter had ten straight wins in the meantime. 

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Final - 4.23.2011	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	5	4	0
St. Louis Cardinals	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	8	2
WP: Aroldis Chapman (1 - 0) SV: Francisco Cordero (3) LP: Miguel Batista (1 - 1)

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