Drew Stubbs Is Cuckoo for Coco Puffs! Reds win, 4-2.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Drew Stubbs either really wants to be the Reds CF for the rest of this year and beyond, or he's trying to help the Reds' front office convince other teams that he's good enough to be a featured piece in a trade. Either way, he was the star tonight, going 3 for 4 with a walk, 2 singles, and the game winning Dunkaroo in the Top of the 9th off of former Red Coco Cordero.

Honorable mention is due to Xavier Paul, who went 3 for 5 with 2 RBI singles; Jay Bruce, who walked 3 times; Mike Leake, who tossed 8 innings of 2 run baseball with only one really regrettable pitch; and Zack Cozart, whose single off Coco in the 9th made Stubbs' dunk a double-dip.

Key Plays

• The game got off to a predictably slow start tonight with the Reds' 2 best bats on the bench and Houston having no bats. It wasn't until the Bottom of the 4th until the scoring began. Madeupname Gonzalez walked to lead off the inning but was thrown out at 3rd base two batters later after Convenientlyobscure Johnson's single. Justsomedude Maxwell homered one batter later though, putting the Astros up, 2-0.
• The Reds scraped across a run in the Top of the 6th. Brandon Phillips led off with a leadoff Votto, and Bruce walked behind him. After a Scott Rolen fielder's choice, n00b Xavier Paul's infield single scored Phillips. Reds trail, 2-1.
• Coco Cordero was a great member of the Reds for 4 years, and was, by all accounts, a standup member of the community. That said, thank the dear Bocephus he's not pitching for the Reds this season. He started off the 9th retiring PH Ryan Ludwick, but then allowed a single to Zack Cozart. Immediately afterwards, Drew Stubbs went Cuckoo for Coco Puffs, launching a high blast out to LF. Phillips was retired, but Bruce walked, went to second on a wild pitch, watched Rolen walk, and then scored on another Paul single. That was enough damage to allow Chapman to come on and, predictably, strike out 3 Astros for the save. Reds win, 4-2!

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

• Give it up for your savior, Drew Stubbs!
• The Pirates lost, again, to the Cubs, this time to their former "ace" Paul Maholm. The Reds' win puts them 2.5 games clear in the Central.
• Bud Norris will take the hill opposite Homer Bailey tomorrow night at 8:05 EST. I'm sure there are quite a few of you out there who will enjoy watching Bud get smoked.