Walk(off) Like An Egyptian....Reds win 4-3!

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Miguel Cairo - Game winning hits win JNMHSoG, always. Honorable mention to Dontrelle Willis, who went seven solid (if shaky at times) innings and 3-3 at the dish.

Key Plays

• Both starters worked out of jams in the 1st, stranding runners at second and third to end the inning.
• In the top of the second David Espinosa doubled before Fan Favorite Jonny Gomes(FFJG) grounded out. Then BP did what BP does, making a ridiculous play to rob Wilson Ramos of a hit and save a run. Dontrelle walked Wang to put men on first and third but got Ian Desmond to ground out and escaped without harm.
• In the Reds' half of the third, Todd Frazier hit a ball that burped loudly after eating Ian Desmond alive. After Paul Janish flied out weakly to LF I made the comment to snohio it sounds like PJ is swinging a wiffle ball bat up there. Dontrelle followed WeakWrists McGee by smacking a ball through the right side(you should have heard the crack of the bat!), moving Frazier to third. BP followed with a single to score Frazier and the Reds had their first lead at 1-0.
• This is where the Reds started making life easy for Wang. Wang had thrown 20 pitches in the first inning but only throw 72 over the next five. It was maddening. 
• Dontrelle got into trouble again in the 4th, walking Espinosa and giving up a single to FFJG. Then Wilson Ramos blasted one into right field and the bad guys led 3-1.
• Wang gave a run back in the 6th when BP plated Paul Janish after Janish had walked (more on this in the notes) and Dontrelle had moved him over with his third hit of the night. Janish would have been out at the plate but thankfully FFJG was the one making the throw. Mark Berry should have been fired on the spot for sending Janish.
• Dusty sent Dontrelle back out to pitch the 7th even though he was at 101 pitches and the top of the Nats lineup would follow what was sure to be a pinch hitter. I may or may not have taught the youngsters in front of me some new "colorful" words when this happened. Dontrelle labored a bit, put two more guys on, but made it out alive by getting Ryan Zimmerman to ground out and striking out Mike Morse. You win this round, Baker.
• This is where things get weird. A couple of banks of lights went out and the game was delayed for 17 minutes. This obviously helped the Reds, who rallied to tie the game on an RBI single by Todd Frazier in their half of the 7th.
• After blowing a golden chance in the 8th, Drew Stubbs and Todd Frazier singled in the 9th to bring Miguel Cairo to the plate. Miggy smacked a game winning single to the wall in left center and the Queen City could sleep safe tonight, for our Redlegs were victorious.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Dontrelle Willis is now batting .450 on the year. 
• Dontrelle also walked what I'm going to go ahead and assume is a season high 5 batters. He also threw 123 pitches in this game.
• Brandon Phillips is hitting .436 since moving into the leadoff spot on August 17th.
• Jonny Gomes got a loud reception when he came to bat. Like, as loud as the one for Joey Votto earlier in the game.  
• As BubbaFan points out below, Janish walked in a nice 10 pitch AB. The best part of this AB was when it was a 1-2 count Wang threw what he obviously thought was strike three, starting to head toward the dugout. It was called a ball and I said, "You watch, Janish will walk here if at all possible. That ump can't be happy". One questionable check swing call (thanks Joe West!) and another questionable pitch call later, Janish stood at first. The lesson as always - do not show up the ump. 
• If my calculations are correct Edgar Renteria's single in the 8th inning put him over the hump. He has an .811 OPS in 69 PA and if he goes 0 for his next 6 PA, he will have a .744 OPS over those 75 PA. Suck it 'creds, you've got a new favorite player!