Ecto Cooler For Everyone! Reds win 4-3

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Chris Heisey did what Chris Heisey does, knocking in a walk-off pinch hit RBI. Who says young players can't be good pinch hitters? HiZ's splits when he is a starter (.230/.298/.420) compared to when he is a sub (.327/.368/.593) are pretty darn remarkable when you think about it. The sample size is still kind of small (547 AB), but it seems like Heisey really thrives in the 4th outfielder role. Unfortunately, the Ludwick. Honorable mentions go Daniel Joseph Votto for his 4-5 day (2 doubles and an RBI) and Wigglin' Wilson Valdez for creating Havoc with two bunt singles and an RBI.

Key Plays

• Things were going swimmingly for Cuteo through the first 2 1/3 innings until Erik Komatsu strode to the plate for a 14-pitch at bat which included 8 foul balls. Cueto was able to induce a weak pop-up to get Komatsu for the second out. Jamie Garcia followed with a single, which was followed by a Rafael Furcal triple and a Jon Jay dinger that fell just barely out of the reach of a leaping Drew Stubbs. Cards lead, 3-0.
• The Reds stole one run back in the bottom half of the third. Stubbs and Cozart led off the inning with back to back singles, and Votto banged a double off the wall that Matt Holliday almost snared. Cards lead, 3-1.
• Cueto settled back in and and got through the next two innings unscathed. In the bottom of the 5th Wolfgang Amadeus and Votto started the inning off with another set of back to back singles. Ducky Ludwick had his best plate appearance of the day, taking a walk to load the bases. Jay Bruce hit a long fly ball to left center (that may have been gone on a warmer day) that was caught by Jon Jay, scoring Cozart. After a Cairo pop-out, Wigglin' Willy dropped down a perfectly executed squeeze bunt, plating Votto. Ryan Hannigan walked to re-load the bases, and Dusty sent out the fearsome LH bench bat, Willie hitslikeshit Harris. Harris flied out weakly to center. But, the damage was done, and the game was tied, 3-3.
• Arredondo, Bray and Ondrusek kept the Cards off the board in the 6th and 7th, setting it up for Chapmania to ensue in the 8th and 9th. Aroldis looked absolutely filthy, getting 5 of his 6 outs on strike outs and more importantly, with no walks. Still tied, 3-3. #SeriouslyGuysJustLetHimStartAlready
• The 9th inning began with a Joey Votto opposite field double that was *thisclose* to leaving the yard. A befuddling decision to walk Ludwick to get to Jay Bruce actually paid off for the Birds, as Bruce struck out swinging on a slider from Marc Rzepjkfslkfjdfski. Then came the man of the hour to the plate, Chris Heisey, who ripped a gap shot liner to score Votto for the winning run. Reds win, 4-3.

Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Cozart has started the year on a 6-game hitting streak. I think his .520 OBP is totally sustainable, you guys.
• Gameday has 15 of Chapman's 35 pitches classified as changeups. I'm not sure if they are incorrectly classified fastballs or if he was actually throwing the "shade."
• The last Reds player to have 2 bunt singles in a game was our old pal Norris Hopper.
• And just to get your blood pressure rising a bit, Ryan Ludwick and Willie Harris are a combined 1-19 to start the season off.