The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

What can you say about Edinson Volquez that we haven't said a thousand times?  Here's something I'm not sure has been mentioned enough:  after today's effort (7IP, 6H, 3ER, 1BB, 5K), the Wagon reached a total of 196 IP for the season between the majors and the minors.  No, those innings weren't that great, and no, he did not perform at a level that would make his hindsight happy with turning down a 4 year, $16 million deal this offseason, but that's a full, healthy season in the books in which he finished strong.  Want to know exactly how many innings he threw in his breakout 2008 campaign?  196.  Now that it's his bionic arm doing the work (and since we know there's little to no chance he's going anywhere), here's to hoping this is his token Post-TJ season to work the kinks out before returning to ace form.  In a game this miserable, the only real Honorable Mention goes to Wagon's compatriot in Post-TJ odyssey, Jose Arredondo (1IP, 0H, 0R, 2K).

Key Plays

• In a game that was by any account unnecessary and superflous (Super F. Lewis!), the biggest story and highlight came in the bottom of the first.  Jose Reyes, clinging to a slim lead in the NL's Batting race, put a bunt down the 3rd base line and reached on an infield single before being pulled by the Mets.  Mets fans were less than thrilled, booing after what may be Reyes' last AB as a Met.  He could have "pulled up lame," a la BP last night, but that would only hurt him in his first voyage into free agency.  My take?  Well, I just hope Ryan Braun goes 5 for 5 tonight and makes it irrelevant.
• Oh yeah, the Reds played their last game today!  Guess what?  Edgar Renteria singled to shallow center in the 1st before being stranded, Chris Heisey led off the 2nd with a double before being stranded, Paul Janish (Paul Janish!) walked and was stranded in the 5th, and Joey Votto walked and was stranded in the 6th.  That's it!  That's unfortunate...
• The Mets, on the other hand, managed to scrape across a few runs against an, all things considered, effective and efficient Edinson Volquez.  Remember how I mentioned that Volquez only walked one batter?  Well, we all know walks will haunt...and it did.  Wagon walked Willie Harris in the 4th, and following a David Wright infield single, Harris scored on a Nick Evans single.  Mets lead, 1-0.
• Wagon cruised through the 5th, but hit trouble in the 6th.  Following an infield single by Josh "Lace" Satin, Mike Baxter smoked a 2 run HR to right field.  In a game that was the polar opposite in terms of excitement and anxiety from last night, that was that...Mets win, 3-0.

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The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Juan Francisco.  Juen Juan juas brought in following Brandon Phillips' injury, he looked pretty awful in his first AB.  Thankfully, he was left in for 3 more ABs, and he delivered.  El Nino Destructor finished 2 for 4 with a double (that scored the tying run in the ninth), and a triple (which let him score the winning run in the 13th).  Quite impressive play from the young 3B.  Honorable mentions to Jay Bruce (3 for 5, HR, 2 RBI), Joey Votto (HR), Drew Stubbs (3 for 5, 2B, 3B, a great suicide squeeze to plate the winning run), and the indomitable Bronson Arroyo (8 IP, 4 ER, 6 K).

Key Plays

• Bronson Arroyo, Dusty Baker, and the Reds desperately wanted Bronson Arroyo to get to 200 IP.  To do that on the road, the Reds had to be winning or tied going into the 9th, and the Reds wasted no time.  Following a Brandon Phillips groundout, Drew Stubbs walked.  Joey Votto hustled out what could have been a double play, and then Jay Bruce crushed a laser into the right field bleachers for his 32nd HR.  Reds lead 2-0.
• I mentioned Bronson Arroyo was pitching...which, of course, means that no lead is safe, not even for half an inning.  The Mets counterpunched in the bottom of the 1st, with David Wright knocking in Ruben Tejada, who had reached by HBP and moved to 2nd by a few productive outs.  Don't know what productive outs are, RR readers?  Maybe you should head to the Louisville Bats website...Rick Sweet will hammer their importance into your noggins.  Reds lead, 2-1.
  
• Both Capuano and Arroyo settled down until the bottom of the 3rd, when Arroyo opted to throw a cheeseball to Jose Reyes, who promptly hit a big league chomp into the right field seats.  Game tied, 2-2.
• If this sounds like a broken record, you're right...it does.  Capuano stayed settled, and Arroyo pitched generally harmless until Reyes came around again in the bottom of the 5th.  Bro-yo threw a lob-yo, and Re-yo hit another bomb-yo, this time into the second deck.  I thought this was a pitcher's park...?  Mets lead, 3-2.
• Noticing how awesome the Mets felt after watching their star hit homers, Joey Votto took it upon himself to reciprocate, but he opted for the much more manly opposite field version in the top of the 6th.  Following a meeting of large bodies and debatable minds, the umps decided (correctly) that Votto's Vottosmash cleared the wall in LF.  Game tied, 3-3.
• Arroyo was clearly aware of how close he was the the all-time home run record, so he craftily allowed only a double off the wall to Nick Evans in the 6th.  Josh Thole followed with a single to score Evans, and the Mets took the lead, 4-3.
• As the Reds reached the 9th inning with the score still tied, Dusty Baker faced decision time.  Bronson Arroyo was at 199 IP for the season (seeking his 6th consecutive 200 IP season), but was also at 125 pitches and the game was tied.  After Devin Mesoraco singled, Dusty (wisely) opted to pinch hit for Bronson, ending his chance at a 200 IP season but giving his team a chance to win.  Edgar Renteria did the honors, singling to LF while 'creds fist-pumped and danced a jig.  Juan Francisco proceeded to double to LF, scoring Dave Sappelt (who had pinch run for Mesoraco).  Game tied, 4-4.
• Following several innings of shenanigans, bad baseball, and lackluster out-of-the-playoffs-before-they-began enthusiasm, the Reds struck in the 13th.  Juan Francisco smoked one to Right-Center that went all the way to the wall, and hustled his way into a triple.  Before the Mets knew what hit them, Drew Stubbs pulled a sac-squeeze, and Francisco scored.  Reds lead, 5-4.
• I'm not sure I want to delve into the depths of how miserable CoCo looked in his attempt to close out the game.  Just be glad that after throwing 22 pitches (and only 6 for strikes) he managed to turn a hard hit liner to 2B into a double play that ended the game.  Reds win, 5-4.

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Chris Heisey.  Ecto Cooler went 3-5 with two runs and a three run dinger.  And he stole a base.  And he played both left and center.  So versatile!  Heisey now has 18 home runs in 299 plate appearances, or one every 16.6 PA.  Jay Bruce, the team leader, is homering just once every 21 PA.  Honorable mentions go to Dave Sappelt (reached base twice, scored a run, and stole his first base) and Devin Mesoraco (doubled, caught a runner stealing).

Key Plays

• Brandon Phillips is, shall we say, an effective leadoff hitter.  He doubled off of Chris Schwinden to start the game, moved to third on Edgar Renteria's sacrifice bunt, and then scored on Joey Votto's sacrifice fly.  Even the Bothan that was handing over the plans to the Death Star said, "Damn, that's a lot of sacrifices!"  Reds lead, 1-0.
• With two outs in the second, Schwinden made a fielding error on a ball hit by Dave Sappelt, and he reached base safely.  Then he stole second, and Devin Mesoraco drove him in with a double.  Reds lead, 2-0.
• Homer Bailey ran into a spot of bother in the third inning.  He struck out the pitcher, but Jose Reyes and Ruben Tejada both singled.  Willie Harris, who's apparently a #3 hitter, flew out, but David Wright singled and Reyes scored.  Then Nick Evans hit a double, and Tejada and Wright both came home.  Mets lead, 3-2.
• Chris Heisey manufactured a run in the fourth to draw terms level again.  He bunted with one out and successfully got himself on first.  Then he stole second, and motored all the way home on Dave Sappelt's shallow single to left.  Game tied, 3-3.
• The Mets immediately answered back.  Jason Pridie hit a one out triple, and Jose Reyes hit a sac fly after Bailey walked the pitcher.  If he gets the pitcher out, like Schwinden's .167 average suggests he should have, Reyes's fly ball counts for naught.  Instead, Mets lead, 4-3.
• Homer Bailey did work out of a two out, bases loaded mess by striking out Pridie in the fifth.  It would be Bailey's last action of the night.
• With one out, Tim Byrdak faced the Reds in the seventh inning.  Byrdak doesn't have a great track record of late season success against the Reds, and so it was tonight.  He faced Joey Votto and Jay Bruce and gave up singles to both of them.  Josh Stinson relieved him, and promptly gave up a three run shot to Chris Heisey.  It was legen... wait for it... dary!  Reds lead, 6-4.
• People try to tell me that Jose Arredondo is a good pitcher.  Every time I pay attention, though, he's giving up runs.  Like in tonight's eighth inning.  He walked Mike Baxter with one out, then Jose Reyes hit a ball into the right field corner.  Baxter scored, but Jay Bruce's throw and Brandon Phillips's relay were able to nail Reyes at third.  Ruben Tejada singled, but Devin Mesoraco threw him out, and Arredondo thanked both his defense and the Mets' terrible baserunning for getting him out of the inning.  Reds win, 6-5.
• After putting the first two runners on in the ninth, Francisco Cordero induced a lame bunt and a game-ending double play to preserve the victory.

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Dontrelle Willis.  D-Train grabbed his first win of the season in his 13th and final chance, pitching six innings of 3-hit baseball, on 3 earned runs, 6 Ks and 2 BBs. He went 1-3 at the plate with a base-clearing double and those 2 RBIs were decisive in a one-run game. Willis is a free agent after this season - though I suspect there's mutual interest to bring him back if the right contract can be worked out - but if this was his final game as a Red, it was an altogether fitting way to go out. With his raw enthusiasm on display again as he clapped his hands after cruising into second base, it's difficult not to want to see him continue his comeback in Red next year (provided he gets some pinch-hit opportunities).

Key Plays 

• Brandon Phillips, who continues to play a convincing leadoff hitter, drew his first of two walks in the game's first at bat. Jay Bruce brought him in with an RBI single.
• The Reds picked up two more runs in the second, on a Janish sac-fly and an RBI single off the bat of the BP/The Unstoppable Phorce/Brand=ON.
• The lead quickly evaporated. Chase d'Arnaud, whose parents named him after a bank-perfume company merger, clubbed a 2-RBI triple in the second and came home on a sac-fly. At 3-3, it was beginning to look like Willis' star-crossed season had become a self-parody.
• Willis struck a blow against the cruelty of an unfeeling baseball universe and crushed himself a 2 RBI double in the top of the sixth.
• Willis began to cramp up after 6 innings and was pulled in favor of Sam LeCure. He and Chapman combined for two scoreless, hitless innings.
• Cordero kept Willis pacing to the end, allowing a run in the 9th on a Neil Walker double. He escaped with the lead and his 35th save. Reds 5, Pirates 4, Willis. 1

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Brandon Phillips.  When John Cusack recites his Top 5 Side 1, Track 1 songs in High Fidelity, he needs to start including DatDudeBP.  Not even Janie Jones is as good a leadoff as Phillips.  He contributed three hits, including two doubles, and scored a run.  Honorable mentions go to Joey Votto (who also had two doubles) and Juan Francisco (who also had two doubles).

Key Plays 

• The Reds got off to an early lead, thanks to two of those doubles I mentioned.  Brandon Phillips led off with a double off of Brad Lincoln.  One out later, Joey Votto went shopping and bought a gallon of milk with one hop into the left field seats: automatic two-bagger.  Reds lead, 1-0.
• Travis Wood was pretty awful in this game.  In the second inning, he walked Ryan Ludwick, then gave up a double to Jason Jaramillo.  With runners on second and third, Ronny Cedeno hit a sacrifice fly.  One out later, Alex Presley hit an infield single to Edgar Renteria, but the shortstop was able to nail Jaramillo at the plate.  Game tied, 1-1.
• It was the third inning that assured everyone who cared that this game was a lost cause.  Cincinnati native Josh Harrison led off with a triple, and Andrew McCutchen drove him in with a sacrifice fly.  The Pirates immediately sullied the now immaculate basepaths with a Derrek Lee single and a Neil Walker double.  Ryan Ludwick used a sacrifice fly - Pittsburgh's preferred gritty, self-sacrificing, blue collar method of driving in runs - to drive in a run.  Lee scored, and then Walker followed him when Jason Jaramillo singled.  Wood was done for the day.  So were the Pirates, and so, effectively, were the Reds.  Pirates lead, 4-1.
• In the fifth inning, pinch hitter Dave Sappelt led off with a walk, and Drew Stubbs also walked one out later.  Joey Votto then doubled again, driving in Sappelt.  It was his 101 Dalbattedins.  Pirates lead, 4-2.
• Jose Veras pitched the eighth inning for Pittsburgh, and started the affair by walking Jay Bruce.  He struck out Devin Mesoraco and Juan Francisco, but did so with a wild pitch for the latter.  Bruce took advantage by taking second.  Edgar Renteria then singled to center field and Bruce flew home.  Pirates win, 4-3.

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The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Gam

Homer Bailey.  Despite some of our collective grumbles, Dusty Baker didn't pull Homer after 6 innings; to ol' Dustbag's credit, Homer picked up his 3rd hit of the night in the bottom of the 6th and went on to close out the the top of the 7th in quality fashion as well.  His final tally:  7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 K, 2 BB; 3 for 3 with a run.  Homer's slash line on the season is now up to .297/.316/.351...I hope Drew Stubbs isn't reading this!  Honorable mention goes to Jay Bruce (3 for 5, 2 RBI) and Devin Mesoraco (1 for 3, BB, HR, 2 RBI).

Key Plays

• With a guy like Bud Norris on the mound, anyone would be scared.  Appropriately enough, the Reds shook off their 1st inning awe to strike in the bottom of the second.  END ate a single child to begin the inning, and after Drew Stubbs closed in on a record of his own, Devin Mesoraco crushed one down the left field line.  Reds lead 2-0.  That brought up the meat of the lineup...Paul Janish followed with a single, Homer reached on an infield hit, before Dave Sappelt singled in Janish.  That turned the lineup over to the weak part, and Votto predictably grounded into a double play.  Reds lead 3-0.
• Since the Reds are the Reds, and they do like Reds do, they promptly concluded that the few fans in attendance would rather watch a close game than a blowout.  Homer got the hat tip and obliged, allowing Jordan Schafer to walk before giving up a classic GABP pop-out HR to J.D. Martinez.  Seeing as a 1 run game was close enough, Homer retired the side.  Reds lead 3-2.
• Homer led off the bottom of the 4th with his second hit of the game, this one off of Lucas Harrell after Bud Norris left with an arm injury.  Dave Sappelt subsequently walked, and 2 batters later, Jay Bruce went opposite field to drive them both in.  Jay Bruce.  Went opposite field.  I'm new at this, but this is not a series of typos.  Jay...Bruce...opposite...field...if he can re-learn that, color me bubbly excited for 2012.  Reds lead 5-3.
• After Homer cruised through 7, Jose Arredondo was brought on for the eleventy-billionth time this season, and gave up a leadoff single.  A batter later, Bill Bray was brought on to face the left-handed Brian Bogusevic, whom he struck out.  Yay!  Wait, what?  He was left in to face righties?  Well, that's interesting.  Apparently, Chris Johnson signed with the Titans, moved them back to Houston to be the Oilers, learned how to play baseball, and then smoked one to the upper deck.  Ouch.  Jared Burton cleaned up the remainder of the mess.  Reds lead 5-4.
• Brandon Phillips is a beast.  Even moreso, he's a leadoff beast out to prove he needs a few more tens of millions of bones.  Want proof?  He homered to left center in the 8th.  Reds lead 6-4.
• In what may have been his swan-song as a Cincinnati Red, Francisco Cordero came on to close out the game.  He gave up his signature single before retiring the side.  Reds win 6-4.

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Sam LeCure.  Proved his mettle by throwing 2.1 scoreless innings of early relief. There's a chance he might be called on again pretty soon. Honorable mention goes to Juan Francisco, for batting in the Reds' only run and drawing a walk.

Key Plays

• The Reds stuck to their 2011 playbook, allowing a 1st-inning runs unpleasantly, professionally and efficiently. Starter Matt Maloney surrendered 4 of them in the first on a pair of two-run home runs of the bats of Carlos Gomez and Prince Fielder (the latter a 90 mph meatball up in the zone). Maloney found out he was starting just about two hours before game time and hadn't really stayed stretched out (or been used much at all) since being called up earlier this month. Rust never sleeps, especially for non-"stuff" pitchers.
• Improvement in the top of the second. Only 3 runs crossed the plate. Sam LeCure replaced Maloney and recorded the final out.
• The Reds were being no-hit by a locked-in Zach Greinke until the 5th. That's when the floodgates opened. Unfortunately, they're very small floodgates. Francisco broke up the no-no and Mesoraco brought him around with an RBI single after Drew Stubbs worked a walk. Todd Frazier, PH-ing for Jared Burton, loaded the bases with a walk. "Loaded" and "the" and "bases" together should fill in the rest: the threat was snuffed out when Brandon Phillips was retired on an admittedly loud and long fly ball out.
• Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless 7th to walk his ERA back below 4.00.
• Juan Francisco walked in the bottom of the seventh.
• Greinke was pulled for the 8th, but the Reds didn't seem to notice, going down in order.
• Before the Reds went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Cordero came on in the top of the inning and picked up the reverse -7 run save. Brewers win, 8-1.

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Ryan Braun.  The frontrunner for the National League's 2011 MVP continued his stellar season, going 2 for 4 with 2 HRs.  He touched up a vintage Badroyo, but Braun didn't discriminate as he tallied another off of Jeremy Horst.  Silver Slugger, MVP, face of the franchise...you name it, Braun's doing it.  Don't worry, Yonder's going to take over his various thrones this time!

Key Plays

• The Reds got off to a quick start in the 1st.  Dave Sappelt lined a double and was promptly driven in by the best first baseman in the stadium.  Reds lead 1-0.
• Bronson threw a pitch in the top of the 2nd...the Brewers swung...Home Run!  Game tied, 1-1.
  
• If you'd seen the first two innings, you might have thought Goodroyo was in the park tonight.  Unfortunately, the third.  Arroyo got the bottom of the order out with a George Kottaras flyout and a Randy Wolf liner, but then walked Nyjer Morgan before serving up a blast to Mark Kotsay.  Guess what?  Braun followed with a solo smash.  Brewers lead 4-1.
• Arroyo settled in for the next few innings, allowing just a Mark Kotsay double and a walk.  Being the comptetitor he is, Arroyo saw the recordbooks in sight and made a dash to the finish.  Kottaras crushed one to deep right, giving the Brewers a 5-1 lead, and giving Arroyo the lovely honor of having yielded a team record 44 HRs on the season.  I bet Adam Dunn wishes he got to face Badroyo!
• After Jeremy "jmh57" Horst relieved Arroyo, someone forgot to tell Braun that the token homer-blaster was no longer pitching.  Brauny badger didn't care anyway, launching his 2nd HR of the night into the right field bleachers.  Brew Crew leads 6-1.
• The Reds mounted a meager rally in the bottom of the 8th...well, sort of.  A few Reds got hits and then Joey Votto did what he do, singling in 2 runs before Jay Bruce hit into (another) inning ending double play.  Reds lose 6-3.

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