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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Brandon Phillips. When the team was down and the fans were booing, Dat Dude BP walked on with hope in his heart. And he didn't walk alone (well, he didn't walk at all. Drew Stubbs, Wilson Valdez, Todd Frazier, Chris Heisey, and Xavier Paul did, though). Phillips doubled, homered, drove in five runs and scored twice. It was enough to single-handedly make up the six run deficit, and enough to inspire the lads to a wonderful comeback. "Come on, you Reds!" said BP. And come on they did, like Joe Saunders was some sort of cookie in a frat house. Honorable mentions go to "Chicken" Alfredo Simon for pitching 1.2 strong innings for the win, and to Drew Stubbs and Wilson Valdez. The top two spots in the batting order both got on base twice and both scored two runs.
Key Plays
- Mike Leake's mind was probably on his Batman Trilogy tickets (and who could blame him?), because it seemingly wasn't on baseball. Bruce Wayne fears bats, and after facing the Arizona offense, Leake probably does too. Key member of the 2010 Division Champions Reds team, Willie Bloomquist, led off the game with a single to right. He stole second as Aaron Hill struck out. Thom may be coo-coo for Kubelpuffs, but Leake got Jason Kubel to pop out. Paul Goldschmidt singled, which was enough to drive in Bloomquist. Diamondbacks lead, 1-0.
- In the third inning, the top of the Diamondbacks order did it again. Bloomquist doubled, and Aaron Hill drove him in with a single. Devin Mesoraco spied Hill's shadow leaning towards second, and caught him stealing, while Kubel and Goldschmidt couldn't do anything to continue the inning. Diamondbacks lead, 2-0.
- To the fifth inning we go, and Aaron "Young Ned of the" Hill sent a Cromwellian offering from Leake to Hell or Connaught over the left field fence. Diamondbacks lead, 3-0.
- The first five innings from Leake weren't good, but the sixth was his undoing. Coquetteish trade bait Justin Upton doubled to lead off the inning, and Chris Young followed with a double of his own to drive him in. One out later, Henry Blanco orally passed down The Iliad and The Odyssey. Then even stupid Joe "Seattle" Saunders singled. Alfredo Simon came on in relief, and got Willie Bloomquist to ground into a double play. Bloomquist tried to steal again, but this time Mesoraco punched him out like he was Ned Ryerson. Diamondbacks lead, 6-0.
- Muffins was asking yesterday about the last time the Reds had had a big comeback. Reset that "Days Since" countdown to zero, sister! In the bottom half of the sixth, Drew Stubbs and Wilson Valdez both singled to lead off the inning (!), and then Brandon Phillips snubbed an All-Star 405 feet over the left field fence. And suddenly, we got ourselves a game. Diamondbacks lead, 6-3.
- Bryan Shaw relieved Saunders in the seventh, and issued one out walks to Xavier Paul and Drew Stubbs. Then Wilson Valdez grounded one to first base, where Paul Goldschmidt forgot to put his glove all the way to the ground. Everyone took two bases on the error, meaning Paul scored, Stubbs was on third and Valdez was on second. Brandon Phillips then advanced everybody another two bases with a game-tying double. Shaw hit the showers. Mike Zagurski retired Jay Bruce, but Brad Zeigler couldn't do the same with Todd Frazier. Zeigler realized the penitent man kneels before Todd and summarily had his head taken off by a single up the middle. Phillips scored, and the glorious comeback was complete. Reds win, 7-6.
Other Notes
- Evidently I've lost my skills at importing FanGraphs charts, but in the sixth inning, the Reds win expectancy was down to 2.7%
- The Reds overcame a six run deficit for the first time since May 21, 2007, against Washington.
- Since the Pirates had no game (sick 90's burn!), the Reds reclaim sole possession of first place.
- Sean Marshall pitched a third of an inning, but gave up two hits before getting that out. Hmm.
- So we're putting songs in the Other Notes now? Well, as we close out our series with the Diamondbacks, what better way to say good-bye to Arizona than this?
