Homer is a bad name for a pitcher, but not as bad as Al Lowthreeinarow. Reds beat Braves, 4-1.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Tonight, Mike Leake pitched like he'd grown up wanting to be a Braves fan and was thoroughly miffed that Mike Minor was taken 8th overall in 2009 instead. Leake, who has obviously struggled this season, was fantastic tonight, going 8 innings and allowing just 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 6. Leake walked only one batter, and did it all on just 98 pitches, and he honked is first career wanger. Commence Greg Maddux comparisons...and commence the damnation of those Greg Maddux comparisons.

Honorable mentions to Drew Stubbs, whose Light Tower Power had 2 HRs and a BB, Zack "MVP/GG" Cozart (2 for 4, HR), Joey Votto (1 for 2, 2 BB, ho-hum), and Sean Marshall, who came in to put out a fire in the 9th to pick up his 8th save of the season...a day after losing the closer's job.

Key Plays

• The Reds got freaky deaky in the first, and never really looked back. Drew Stubbs waited just enough on an off-speed pitch, and lifted a solo shot to the LF seats. Reds lead, 1-0.
  
• Some dude who nobody really misses hit a HR for the Braves in the 2nd. Game tied, 1-1.
• The Reds needed a spark to get going, and Mike Leake (Mike Leake!) was just the spark for the job. Leake homered in the 4th, and the homer-gates were broken. Cozart and Stubbs followed with solo shots, too, and the Reds had busted up the Braves' young pitcher. Reds lead, 4-1.
• Leake continued to cruise, the Reds went on cruise control, and Jose Arredondo and Marshall combined to put the game away in the 9th. Reds win!

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Mike Minor went to Vanderbilt, and so did I. I hope the dude does well in the long haul (and I think he will), but I loved watching him get lit up tonight.
  
• The Reds were on ESPN, and they won! Again! That's, like, 2 in a row!
• Do I miss Won ENDisco? No, not at all. He hit a solo HR, but in similarly predictable fashion committed an error an inning later that sparked a 2-out semi-rally that saw Joey Votto get to bat with the bases loaded. He also booted another attempt vs. Phillips later in the game. GLAD NOT HAVE.
• This must have been a great game to see for all 12 fans in attendance, especially for the guy who caught both Leake's and Cozart's HR's in the course of about 2 minutes.