The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Adam Duvall. I'm not sure that there's anything left to be written about him at this point. In a season full of disappointment, frustration, and frustratingly disappointing injuries, Duvall has been a shining star. Keeping in mind that he was generally considered the throw in a trade the Giants made for nine starts of Mike Leake, and this is a seriously impressive two months of the season.
In this one, he went 2-5 with 2 runs scored and 4 RBI, including a 3 run home run and a game winning RBI on a strange overturned double play in the top of the 9th.
It seems unlikely that he'll continue to slug like this, but it's obvious that he's capable of being the big bopping left fielder that the Reds have been searching for for quite some time.
Honorable mention to Blake Wood, who picked up his bullpen and dragged it to two scoreless after the Reds tied the game. This was after Alfredo Simon's idiocy opened the gates for the craptastic pen to give up four runs almost immediately after he was tossed. Tony Cingrani nailed down the save. Joey Votto had 2 hits and scored 2 runs with 1 RBI. Brandon Phillips had 2 hits and a rare Reds walk, Bruce had 2 hits and a run scored while Tyler Holt had a couple of hits and an RBI.
Key Plays
- The Brewers dented the scoreboard quickly, with only one out in the bottom of the 1st inning. After Jonathan Villar's single was overturned on a Reds replay challenge, Scooter Gennett knocked a line drive to right field and motored around the bases for a triple. Jonathan Lucroy singled to center field to score Gennett in the very next at bat. The Reds were unsuccessful in overturning Cris Carter's single before Kirk Nieuwenhius walked. Predictably, Aaron Hill knocked in Lucroy on an infield single before Alfredo Simon could induce an Alex Presley double play. Brewers led, 2-0.
- The Reds scraped their first run across in the top of the 4th. Adam Duvall lead off with a double to left. Eugenio Suarez flied out for the first out, but Tyler Holt banged a double of his own to score Duvall. Reds cut the Brewer lead in half, 2-1.
- Alfredo Simon intentionally hit Anderson when he came up to hit in the bottom of the 5th, getting himself ejected with 0 outs. More on that in a bit. AJ Morris was turned to out of the bullpen and predictably gave up a two run bomb to Lucroy before he was able to get three outs. Brewers expand the lead, 4-1.
- Caleb Cotham came on for Morris in the bottom of the 6th. He walked Hill and hit Presley before he struck out Keon Broxton. No matter, he allowed Hill to score on the next batter when pinch hitting Hernan Perez singled. Perez stole second, Villar walked, and Cotham's day was done. JC Ramirez inherited a bases loaded jam, and allowed one of Cotham's runners to score on a sacrifice from Gennett. Brandon Phillips picked a tough grounder up the middle from Lucroy to take away the hit and the Ramirez got out of the jam, giving up only one. Brewers led, 6-1.
- Barnhart worked a very strong at bat to begin the top of the 7th that ended with him smoking a double to center field. Cozart and Ivan De Jesus Jr struck out, but Joey Votto (after throwing his bat into the stands because he presumably hates Milwaukee fans) scored Tucker on a single up the middle. Phillips blooped a single into left field. Jay Bruce laced the first pitch he saw into right field, scoring Votto. Adam Duvall, certified strong person, then blasted his 11th home run to the season to clear the bases. Eugenio Suarez smashed a ball to third that Aaron Hill nabbed, because of course Aaron Hill robbed the Reds of a hit. No matter, the Reds score five and tie up the ball game at 6 all.
- Fittingly for this one, the Cozart was hit by a pitch to start the top of the 9th. Votto erased him on a grounder, but the double play couldn't be turned. Phillips drew a rare Reds walk. Jay Bruce beat the shift, hitting a slow rolling grounder to left field, but it wouldn't be enough to score Votto. Duvall grounded into what looked to be an inning ending double play. The play was reviewed, however, and the call was overturned because Scooter Gennett never tagged second base before turning to first. That means Bruce was safe at second, Duvall was out a first, and Votto scored to give the Reds the lead. Billy Hamilton flew out on a great defensive play by LF Presley. However, the Reds fortuitiously take the lead, 7-6.
Tony Graphanino
Source: FanGraphs
Other Notes
- In the bottom of the 5th inning, Reds starting pitcher Alfredo Simon got ejected after he intentionally beaned Brewers starter Chase Anderson. To understand why, you have to go back to the Reds portion of the 4th. With two out in the inning, Tyler Holt decided to straight steal home plate. Anderson hit Simon with a pitch inside that sent Holt back to third base. Simon understandably was visibly unhappy as he took first base.
- So, obviously, the umpires had no choice but to eject Alfredo Simon when he blatantly, deliberately plunked Anderson when he came to bat in the 5th. At the time, Simon was spinning a relative gem, allowing just the two runs in the 1st inning. At one point, he had retired 10 of 11 batters. So the only rational thing to do is get yourself tossed and hand over the ball game to a historically bad bullpen. Of course.
- Alfredo Simon, charming baseball player.
- You can question the arbitrary nature of the ejection; Anderson had hit two Reds unintentionally before hitting Simon, at least somewhat on purpose as he tried to stop Holt's steal attempt. Regardless, if you are going to be that obviously transparent about exacting your revenge, you're going to be ejected. It might make you feel really good about yourself, such as kicking the dog or punching inanimate objects until your knuckles bleed might make irrational children feel better during a tantrum. But it's a really stupid decision both for yourself and for your team. Beanball is bad for baseball and it should be addressed by Major League Baseball sooner rather than later
- Me watching the Reds bullpen.
- The replay overturned double play in the top of the 9th is something I hadn't seen before. I understand the neighborhood play is technically no longer a thing, but man you never see it overturned like that.
- It's still early, y'all, so Tunes!