Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Brandon Phillips. The Black Emperor had four hits, including a double, scored two runs and drove in two. Honorable mentions go to Mike Leake, who pitched six shutout innings and would have gotten a hit if they'd have let him bat for himself, and Jonny Gomes, our DH who homered in his return to Tampa.
Key Plays
- In a reversal of the norm, it was the Reds that got flying out of the gate early. Fred Lewis, batting leadoff, singled, and then Brandon Phillips hit a double. Lewis came all the way around to score. Joey Votto and Scott Rolen both made outs at the hands of Evan Longoria, but Rolen's got Phillips to third, and Jay Bruce singled to bring him in. Reds lead, 2-0.
- Jonny Gomes led off the fourth inning with a home run off Jeremy Hellickson. Two strikeouts later, Paul Janish reached on Longoria's fielding error, and Fred Lewis singled again. Brandon Phillips singled too, and Janish scored, giving the Reds their second multirun inning. Reds lead, 4-0.
- After six innings, Cesar Ramos replaced Hellickson, but wasn't any more effective. Phillips and Joey Votto led off the seventh with back to back singles. Scott Rolen then hit a ball that Ben Zobrist couldn't field cleanly, and Phillips scored. Reds win, 5-0.
- Mike Leake, Sam LeCure, and Nick Masset combined to shut out the Rays, giving up a total of only six hits and two walks.
Other Notes
- Ex-Ray (Spex) Jonny Gomes's home run hit a catwalk. He has hit nine fair balls that have hit catwalks, the most of any player in Tropicana Field.
- Other teams can have baserunning blunders too. In the sixth inning, Evan Longoria zipped past Ben Zobrist for an automatic out, and a double play when Fred Lewis caught Matt Joyce's fly ball.
- Today is Brandon Phillips's birthday.
- The Reds have never lost to Tampa Bay.