Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Brandon Phillips. The All-Star went 2-4 in the leadoff slot with a grand slam, a stolen base, and two runs scored. The move out of the cleanup position has done wonders for BP. Honorable mentions go to Joey Votto and Miguel Cairo.
Key Plays
- Coming into this series with the Reds, the Brewers had won 10 of their last 14 games and were entertaining notions of competing for the division if they could sweep the Reds. A blowout win last night prevented the sweep for the Brewers, but if they could win the series, then that might be good enough. They got off to a positive start in the fourth inning against Travis Wood. Alcides Escobar hit a one out single, and then scored when Ryan Braun doubled into the left field corner. Prince Fielder walked, and after Casey McGehee popped up, Jonathan Lucroy hit another ball to left that Jonny Gomes couldn't get to. Braun scored. Jay Bruce made a diving catch on a liner from Carlos Gomez to end the inning. Brewers lead, 2-0.
- Being a middling lefty, Chris Narveson stymied the Reds for five innings. In the fifth inning, Brandon Phillips figured he'd had just about enough of that and singled. Then he stole second, superfluously it turned out because Orlando Cabrera walked. Joey Votto singled to RF/P Joe Inglett and Phillips scored. Cabrera went from first to third. Ken Macha turned to his bullpen and brought in Kameron Loe. Jonny Gomes then pulled a bull along the third base line for a double. Cabrera scored and the game was tied, with runners on second and third with no outs. Miguel Cairo then hit a double too to bring home the runners in scoring position. Jay Bruce singled, sending Cairo to third, and one out later, Ryan Hanigan executed a perfect suicide squeeze allowing Cairo to score. Pinch hitter Laynce Nix walked and Brandon Phillips was hit by a pitch, loading the bases again with two outs. However, Orlando Cabrera grounded out. Reds lead, 5-2.
- The Reds had now scored 19 runs in the series with the Brewers without benefit of a home run. They remedied that in a big way in the eighth inning. Chris Heisey led off the inning with a perfect bunt off of Carlos Villanueva. Ryan Hanigan singled, sending Heisey from first to third. Dusty sent Mike Leake up as a pinch hitter, and after two failed bunt attempts, Leake came back to draw a walk. Bases loaded, no outs, and Brandon Phillips at the plate. He hit a 3-1 changeup way, way out of the ballpark. It hit off of Bernie Brewer's slide. The grandest of slams! Joey Votto also homered in the inning. Reds win, 10-2.
Other Notes
- Joey Votto's home run was his 26th of the season, a career high.
- After the first game (and the first half of this game) caused us to wonder what had happened to the Reds offense, they collected 22 runs and 32 hits in the final two games of the series. 24 runs and 38 hits, or an average of 8 runs and nearly 13 hits per game for the series.
- The bullpen has pitched 17 scoreless innings, dating back to the July 22 7-1 loss to the Nationals. And Bill Bray only gave up one run in that game.
- Travis Wood earned his first major league victory.