Loss Angeles. Dodgers 1, Reds 0.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

It's rather hard to believe that a rookie many thought was destined for a bullpen role has done everything necessary to make us forget about the guy who finished 4th in the Cy Young voting a year ago, but that's exactly the script Tony Cingrani has written. In what was his finest performance yet, Cingrani blew through the Dodgers' lineup today in near record fashion, and in the process he lowered his season ERA under 3 and made our own Cy Schourek faint no fewer than 4 times. Cingrani threw 7 clean innings today, allowing just a single hit (by the opposing pitcher) and one walk while striking out a career-high tying 11 batters. Hoo-Wee!

Honorable Mentions are due to: Sam LeCure, who tossed a scoreless 1.1 innings and got a strike out for each of his 4 outs; Joey Votto, who went 2 for 4 with a double; and Manny Parra, who struck out the only two Dodgers he faced.

Key Plays

• The Reds one and only real chance to score came in the Top of the 6th, as Devin Mesoraco hit a leadoff double off of Dodgers' starter Chris Capuano. Mesoraco moved to 3B after a successful sac bunt by Cingrani, which brought up RBI machine Derrick Robinson (who was in the leadoff spot today for Choo against a lefty). Robinson failed to get down a suicide squeeze, and then with two strikes hit a sharp grounder right to Juan Uribe, who threw home to get Mesoraco, who broke home on contact, in a rundown.
  
• Blah blah blah blah Yasiel Puig hit a homer and made us hate baseball. Reds lose, 1-0.

FanGraph Section that Accurately Displays How Nothing Happened for 3.5 Hours

<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2013-07-28&team=Dodgers&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width = "450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2013-07-28&team=Dodgers&dh=0&season=2013">FanGraphs</a></span>

Other Notes

• The Reds set a franchise record by striking out 20 opposing batters today. Unfortunately, the offense.
• Per ESPN's Research, Tony Cingrani became the first Reds' pitcher since Johnny Van Der Meer in 1941 to throw 7 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and no more than 1 hit and 1 walk allowed. Hoo-Wee!
• Brandon Phillips is now slugging under .400 on the season. One of these days, he's going to catch fire. I just know it. For now, though, he's been tough to watch.
  
• The Reds' starters got on base 3 times today. Reds' pinch-hitters got on base twice.
• Yes, that Chris Capuano did this to the Reds today.
• If you're militantly angry about this team, just slow the hell down. There's a ton of baseball left to play, and even at this rate, that includes at least one playoff game.
• All the Reds need for a winning road trip is to beat the San Diego Padres twice in three games, and Edinson Volquez is pitching in one of those.