I don’t wanna talk about the things we've gone through. The winner takes it all. Reds lose, 4-2.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Paul Janish.  Three hits, including a double, and a run for the new callup from AAA.  Honorable mentions go to Sam LeCure (a perfect inning of relief), and Miguel Cairo (on base three times and a run).

Key Plays

• The teams played each other evenly, with neither gaining an advantage.  In the sixth inning, Miguel Cairo led off with a single off of the knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.  Jay Bruce struck out, but Brandon Phillips delivered a double, driving in Cairo.  Reds lead, 1-0.
• The seventh inning was the gigantic sweaty dump that did the Reds in.  Mike Leake started the inning despite being over 100 pitches.  He got one out, then gave up singles to Jose Reyes and Justin Turner that put runners on the corners.  Bill Bray relieved him and threw all of two pitches.  He got one out, but also let in a run as Carlos Beltran's fly ball was deep enough for Reyes to tag and score.  But the real disaster happened when Logan Ondrusek entered the game.  David Wright singled, and Daniel Murphy doubled, driving in both Turner and Wright.  Then certified Reds killer Jason Bay doubled, and Murphy scored as well.  Mets lead, 4-1.
• The bottom of the seventh inning looked like it might be a repeat of the top.  Dickey began things with an out, but Paul Janish doubled.  Dickey got Ryan Hanigan to ground out, but Drew Stubbs singled and Janish scored.  Pedro Beato relieved Dickey and walked Miguel Cairo.  With a run in, two on and two out, Tim Byrdak came in to face Jay Bruce for the first time since surrendering the home run that clinched the division.  This time, Byrdak came out on top, striking out Bruce.  Mets win, 4-2.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Brandon Phillips struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth to end the game.  Jason Isringhausen takes this as a sign that he isn't washed up.  That's kind of cute.
• The Reds encountered a familiar bugaboo, going 1-9 with runners in scoring position, and leaving 11 men on base.
• Mike Leake has given up three earned runs combined in his last two outings, both losses.
• Brandon Phillips admitted that facing Dickey's knuckleball threw him off his game.  "There's no excuses, but Dickey messed me up for the remainder of the game.  I was so used to swinging at the high pitch."