Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Sam LeCure. Proved his mettle by throwing 2.1 scoreless innings of early relief. There's a chance he might be called on again pretty soon. Honorable mention goes to Juan Francisco, for batting in the Reds' only run and drawing a walk.
Key Plays
- The Reds stuck to their 2011 playbook, allowing a 1st-inning runs unpleasantly, professionally and efficiently. Starter Matt Maloney surrendered 4 of them in the first on a pair of two-run home runs of the bats of Carlos Gomez and Prince Fielder (the latter a 90 mph meatball up in the zone). Maloney found out he was starting just about two hours before game time and hadn't really stayed stretched out (or been used much at all) since being called up earlier this month. Rust never sleeps, especially for non-"stuff" pitchers.
- Improvement in the top of the second. Only 3 runs crossed the plate. Sam LeCure replaced Maloney and recorded the final out.
- The Reds were being no-hit by a locked-in Zach Greinke until the 5th. That's when the floodgates opened. Unfortunately, they're very small floodgates. Francisco broke up the no-no and Mesoraco brought him around with an RBI single after Drew Stubbs worked a walk. Todd Frazier, PH-ing for Jared Burton, loaded the bases with a walk. "Loaded" and "the" and "bases" together should fill in the rest: the threat was snuffed out when Brandon Phillips was retired on an admittedly loud and long fly ball out.
- Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless 7th to walk his ERA back below 4.00.
- Juan Francisco walked in the bottom of the seventh.
- Greinke was pulled for the 8th, but the Reds didn't seem to notice, going down in order.
- Before the Reds went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Cordero came on in the top of the inning and picked up the reverse -7 run save. Brewers win, 8-1.
Other Notes:
- The Top 5 in the order (Phillips, Renteria, Votto, Bruce and Alonso ) went a combined 0-20.
- The Reds' offense has put up 2 runs and 4 hits over their last 18 innings.
- 7 Reds' pitchers were used in the game. Wood pitched last night, but hopefully he's up for some innings tomorrow, as Dontrelle's status (back spasms) remains uncertain. The list of Reds' pitchers with reasonable rest that can safely pitch more than 2 innings on Monay is dangerously short.