Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Randy Wells. Somehow, the Reds were no-hit by this guy for six innings. He ended up going 7.2 innings with a walk and five strikeouts. He gave up five hits and a run. Honorable mentions go to Marlon Byrd and Bill Bray.
Key Plays
- The Cubs had at least two men on every inning through the fifth, and yet were never able to score a run, thanks to their inability to hit with runners on base and a nice play by Joey Votto to nail Marlon Byrd at home. Meanwhile, the Reds only got a Paul Janish walk off of Randy Wells in that same span.
- After having used 101 pitches in five innings, Johnny Cueto headed to the showers having allowed twelve baserunners, but no runs. Jordan Smith took the mound for the sixth and quickly got Ryan Theriot to ground out - the first time in four innings that the leadoff Cub hadn't gotten on. But then everyone else got on. Tyler Colvin singled and stole second. Derrek Lee walked. Smith hit Marlon Byrd with a pitch and the bases were loaded. Alfonso Soriano swung hard and hit a little flare out to center field. Chris Heisey was momentarily fooled, then broke late and dove but couldn't catch it. Colvin crossed home plate and finally the Cubs were on the board. Mike Fontenot popped up and the hope rose that the Reds might escape again, but Geovany Soto then hit a ground rule double into the ivy. Lee and Byrd scored, and really Soriano would have scored too, but he was only allowed to advance two bases. Nick Masset relieved Smith, and after intentionally walking Starlin Castro, got Randy Wells to ground out. Cubs lead, 3-0.
- Chris Heisey singled in the seventh inning to finally break up Wells's no-hitter. Then Joey Votto singled to keep his streak of reaching base alive (it's at 41 now!) and it looked like a rally might be on. Heisey saw what he thought was a wild pitch, and broke for second. But Soto corralled the ball quickly and Heisey hesitated, and was dead to rights. Another baserunning error for the Reds, and a costly one because Scott Rolen doubled. Heisey's run-that-would-have-been did not score, and with runners on second and third, Jay Bruce struck out and Ramon Hernandez grounded out.
- In the eighth inning, Laynce Nix doubled and went to third on Wells's throwing error. Pinch hitter Orlando Cabrera grounded out, but it was enough to score Nix. Reds lose, 3-1.
Other Notes
- The Cubs stranded 17 runners. Bill Bray was the only Reds pitcher to not allow a baserunner.
- Randy Wells had not won a game in his last eleven starts.
- Like the Reds, I fell asleep for a long time before putting together anything useful for this recap.