Ask Not For Whom the Bone Bones. It Bones For Thee! Reds lose, 9-6.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Jose Arredondo.  Reds pitching has pretty much self-immolated over the last three weeks.  Arredondo pitched 1.1 scoreless innings today, striking out two and only walking one.  Yes, it's come to that.  When someone can string together more than one inning of shutout baseball, they get lauded for it.  Honorable mentions go to Paul Janish (three hits) and Drew Stubbs (two hits, including a home run, and a stolen base).

Key Plays

• I don't know what the deal with the first inning is, but the Reds are just terrible in it.  Travis Wood was the latest culprit.  He walked Jamey Carroll to start the game, and Aaron Miles of all people hit a double.  With runners on second and third, Andre Ethier hit a sacrifice fly.  Then Matt Kemp hit a home run, which we'll look forward to him doing in the bottom halves of innings.  Dodgers lead, 3-0.
• Drew Stubbs homered to lead off the Reds half of the inning.  Dodgers lead, 3-1.
• The ball was really flying out of Great American today.  Chad Billingsley - yes, the opposing pitcher - homered in the second inning.  Just one of many omens that today would not go the Reds way.  Dodgers lead, 4-1.
• The Reds had a chance to really make a game of it in the bottom of the second.  With one out, the bottom of the order came to life.  Paul Janish and Travis Wood singled, and Drew Stubbs walked, loading the bases.  Brandon Phillips hit a sharp ball up the middle that Billingsley couldn't handle, and Janish  and Wood came in to score.  That left runners on the corners with one out and Joey Votto and Jay Bruce coming up.  But Votto struck out and Bruce popped up.  Dodgers lead, 4-3.
• Travis Wood then dumped a lot of gasoline on his head and started twirling around with sparklers in his hands in the third.  Andre Ethier hit a one out double, and Wood intentionally walked Kemp.  Casey Blake singled and the bases were loaded.  Wood struck out Jerry Sands and looked like he might escape.  But Rod Barajas doubled, and Ethier and Kemp scored.  Wood then intentionally walked James Loney, which loaded the bases for Chad Billingsley.  Not a bad strategy, but it doesn't work when you walk the pitcher, which Wood did.  Casey Blake was forced in.  Dodgers lead, 7-3.
• Looking to show Dusty Baker that he really is a leadoff hitter, Drew Stubbs bunted for a single in the fourth, then stole second base.  Brandon Phillips grounded out, and Stubbs moved to third, and Joey Votto also grounded out, and Stubbs scored.  Dodgers lead, 7-4.
• Wood just had no answer for Chad Billingsley.  In the fifth inning, with two outs, Wood walked Loney, and then Billingsley hit a run-scoring double.  Chad Reineke then relieved Wood.  Dodgers lead, 8-4.
• With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, the bottom of the order again showed life.  Ramon Hernandez walked and Paul Janish singled.  Chad Reineke, the long man, was due up.  The Reds bullpen was going to be taxed again, but Dusty wanted to cash in on this run-scoring opportunity and pinch hit for Reineke after his long man had only recorded one out.  Jonny Gomes came off the bench and promptly lined out to Aaron Miles.
• Jeremy Horst pitched the sixth inning, and didn't settle any questions as to whether he belongs in the majors.  He walked Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp singled.  Casey Blake flew out, but Jerry Sands singled and Ethier scored.  Rod Barajas popped out, but James Loney walked, loading the bases for the hot-hitting Chad Billingsley.  Instead, Don Mattingly chose to send up pinch hitter Ivan De Jesus who grounded into a force out.  Dodgers lead, 9-4.
• John Ely replaced Billingsley and gave up a one out double to Brandon Phillips.  He then made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt, allowing Phillips to go to third.  Joey Votto then singled and drove in Phillips.  Dodgers lead, 9-5.
• Ely pitched three effective innings, like a long reliever should, but walked pinch hitter Ryan Hanigan to start the ninth.  Josh Lindblom replaced Ely, then walked Miguel Cairo and hit Ramon Hernandez.  The bases were loaded with no outs.  Could the Reds pull off an improbable comeback?  The short answer was no.  Paul Janish, with three hits on the day, popped out into foul territory.  Chris Heisey hit a fly ball that was caught, but let Hanigan score, and Drew Stubbs struck out to end the game.  Dodgers win, 9-6.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Reds pitchers walked 10 Dodgers.  The Dodgers had a baserunner in every inning, scored nine runs, and still left 14 men on base.
• Matt Kemp had three home runs in the last two games.  He went 7-11 in the series and had five walks.