Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Felipe Paulino. "Ronnie," as his friends call him, pitched 8 innings of shutout baseball and also went a Leakeian 2-3 at the plate.
Key Plays
- The Astros had two men on base in each of the first three innings, but hit into double plays each time. Twice, Lance Berkman was the one to do it.
- In the fifth inning, a single to Felipe Paulino, a walk to Micheal Bourn, and a single by Jeff Keppinger loaded the bases with two outs for Berkman once again. Berkman grounded to shortstop - a double play ball if there hadn't been two outs - to end the inning.
- The Reds hadn't created much offense all day. Sure, Joey Votto was still out with a neck injury, and Scott Rolen was being given the day off after a night game, but even though the lineup looked weak, all of Dusty's moves had been coming up aces. Which is to say, the lack of offense shouldn't have been a surprise, but it was frustrating nonetheless. The ninth inning rolled around, and it was time to do something about it. Jonny Gomes singled to start things off and took second on a wild pitch. Great! All that needed to happen was for Laynce Nix to bunt him to third and someone could drive him in with a fly ball (or, knowing Gomes, a chopper back to the pitcher). Instead, Brandon Lyon intentionally walked Nix. Ramon Hernandez then tried to bunt Gomes over to third. His bunt was pretty good, but Lyon was on it in a flash and made a perfect throw to just catch Gomes at third. Still, two on and one out, and human good luck charm Scott Rolen came in to pinch hit for Paul Janish. He popped up. Pinch hitter Drew Stubbs drew a walk to load the bases, but Orlando Cabrera flied out to right field.
- The game went into extra innings. Pinch hitter Cory Sullivan drew a one out walk off of Micah Owings, and Michael Bourn walked too. Walks, as the saying goes, will haunt, and after Jeff Keppinger fouled out, notorious Reds killer Lance Berkman came to the plate. The Reds had kept him quiet in this game, and throughout the series, but he extracted his revenge and hit a double that scored both Sullivan and Bourn. Astros win, 2-0.
Other Notes
- This was the first Reds loss in extra innings this season, and the first time in 19 games that they didn't hit a home run.
- Despite allowing only two earned runs in his last three games, the Reds have lost the last three times Mike Leake has pitched.
- With his two RBI today, Lance Berkman now has 55 RBI at Great American Ball Park which passes the 54 he has at PNC Park for the second most RBI in a stadium. He only has more RBI at Minute Maid Park. Also, Berkman has played 69 games at PNC, but only 51 in GABP.
- The Reds turned three double plays today, the most in one game this season.