Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Drew Stubbs. The speedster had three hits including a double and a home run and drove in 2 runs. He's batting .291/.371/.545 since Dusty Baker moved him out of the lead-off spot for good on May 7. Honorable mention to Orlando Cabrera, who also had 3 hits, and Arthur Rhodes, because he's a bad mofo.
Key Plays
- The Pirates scored first when Ronny Cedeno hit a two-run jack off of Aaron Harang in the 2nd inning.
- Drew Stubbs would not stand for such insolent behavior, doubling in Jonny Gomes in the bottom of the 2nd to get the Reds on the board and cutting the Pirates lead to 2-1.
- The Reds tied it up in the fourth when Ryan Hanigan grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, scoring Gomes. Aaron Harang gave his team the lead with a single to drive in Jay Bruce from third base. Harang then put his motorin' skills to the test as Orlando Cabrera doubled to drive Harang all the way in from first. Thankfully, Harang is a picture of fitness. After a pitching change, Brandon Phillips' single drove in Cabrera, and then Philips scored when Joey Votto joined the party with his 8th double of the season. The Reds put 5 runs on the board in the inning and took a 6-2 lead.
- Stubbs added to the lead in the fifth inning with his fifth home run of the season. The Reds lead moved to 7-2.
- Harang threw a lot of pitches, but held the Pirates in check until the 7th inning, when a single by Ronny Cedeno and a walk to Aki Iwamura, who came into the game batting .161, was followed by a Delwyn Young two-run double. That finished Harang's night as he was relieved by Enerio Del Rosario. Del Rosario struck out Andrew McCutchen, but a passed ball allowed the batter to reach first. Manager Dusty Baker then brought in Daniel Ray Herrera to face Garret Jones, who flew out to center field to plate Young and cut the Reds lead to 7-5 before Herrera could get out of the inning.
- The scoring stopped there as Rhodes pitched the 8th and Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth, each allowing a solitary base runner, but closing out the Reds 7-5 victory!
via www.fangraphs.com
Other Notes
- The Reds are back in a tie for first place and are only one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in the National League. They would be six games out of first place in the AL East.
- Ronny Cedeno has 4 home runs this year, 3 of them are off of Reds pitching.
- The single base runner today caused Arthur Rhodes' WHIP to balloon to 0.65 for the season.
- Francisco Cordero is just 2 saves shy of Bob Wickman for 25th place on the career list.
- Aaron Harang is half way to his win total from each of the past two seasons with his 3rd win of the year.
- It was turn-back-the-clock night as the Reds celebrated the 75th anniversary of the first night game. This does not mean to set your clock back an hour.