I propose we start calling Rockies home runs "Denver bomb-lets." Reds lose, 10-7.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Jay Bruce.  He's good!  We promise!  Bruce had two hits and 4 RBI, including a three run homer.  Honorable mentions go to Drew Stubbs and Brandon Phillips, who also both hit home runs.

Key Plays

• Fred Lewis and Joey Votto both walked in the first inning, and Jay Bruce walloped Jason Hammel's offering over the right field wall.  It's really nice to see him doing that again.  Reds lead, 3-0.
• In the second inning, the Rockies came right back.  Todd Helton, who evidently is still playing, singled, and Seth Smith hit a home run of his own.  Reds lead, 3-2.
• The Rockies did almost the exact same thing in the third inning, only with a slight twist.  Mark Ellis led off the inning with a single.  Homer Bailey was able to induce weak popouts from Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, but then Todd Helton line a single to left field.  Ellis was running on the pitch and was able to score from first easily.  Then Seth Smith followed up Helton's single with a home run.  Again.  Rockies lead, 5-3.
• The Reds could score just as easily as the Rockies, though.  Edgar Renteria led off the bottom half of the inning with a double.  One out later, Jay Bruce singled and Renteria scored.  Another out, and then Drew Stubbs hit his home run.  Reds lead, 6-5.
• Rain delay!
• Sam LeCure pitched in relief of Homer after the third inning, but found himself unable to staunch the flow of runs.  In the fifth inning, Troy Tulowitzki singled, and then Todd Helton joined the act by hitting a home run.  Rockies lead, 7-6.
• The improbably named Rex Brothers was pitching for the Rockies in the seventh inning when Brandon Phillips hit a home run.  Game tied, 7-7.
• The game was close in the late innings, and the ball had been flying out of the ballpark all night.  Seems like bad portents for our bullpen, right?  Correct.  The agency that rates such things - Standard & Portents - has downgraded our bullpen to a AA+ (the high AA).  Bill Bray was the goat in this game, as Dexter Fowler singled in the eighth, and Carlos Gonzalez homered.  Rockies lead, 9-7.
• Nick Masset came on in the ninth to provide one final nail for our casket.  With two outs, Dexter Fowler singled, and Mark Ellis hit a run-scoring double.  Rockies win, 10-7.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Jay Bruce last hit a home run on July 9, a month ago.  He had 12 home runs in May, and only 10 the rest of the year so far.
• Matt Belisle pitched for the Reds for five years, and this was still only his seventh win at Great American.
• The rain delay lasted 94 minutes.