Thrice in a Lifetime: Reds win 3-2 in 10, Clinch Playoffs

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

The Mets brought in a LOOGY to get Choo out in the 10th, with runners on first and third. No matter. Choo smacked one off the fence in center-left to bring home Mesoraco and win the game in a walk-off in the 10th. It would've been a double, but Choo was mobbed before he could reach second base. Mr. Choo went 3-6 with two stolen bases, including a super-clever steal of third in which he basically convinced d'Arnaud to throw to the wrong base.

Votto tied the record with 5 walks today, including a 4-pitch PA that brought a runner home with the bases loaded. Hanigan went 2-4 before being pulled for Billy Hamilton (who stole a base). Johnny Beisbol went 7 strong with 3H, 3BB, 5K, 2R, 1ER. And a single.

A firm handshake to Aaron Harang, who was hopefully bought a sixer by some of the Reds who remember him. He worked around 5H and 6BB (with 1 strikeout!) to give up only 2 runs in 6 innings.

Key Plays

• In the bottom of the second, Frazier doubled and Hanigan singled to put runners on first and third. Mr. Choo then singled to bring home Toddy. After a BP BB to load the bases, Votto walked to bring in Hanigan. Reds up 2-0.
• A Todd Frazier error allowed Harang on base. A single and a walk loaded the bases to allow for a Duda SF. Eric Young - just the second person ever to steal second off of the Cueto/Hanigan battery and the first this decade - tried his luck at third and found his clover to have three leaves. 2-1 Reds.
• Lucas Duda hit a solo bluebird in the sixth to tie the game. If you're keeping track, that's the rest of the Mets: zippedy, Duda: 2.
• Choo led off the ninth against a LOOGY with a double. During the next at-bat, he wandered a third of the way to third. When d'Arnaud tried to pick him off second, Choo sprinted for third, stealing the base without a throw. The Reds naturally couldn't score a runner from third with no out.
• After a Cozart groundout, Mesoraco and Robinson singled to get runners at the corners in the 10th. Choo did the rest. Reds win, 3-2.

Fangraph:

Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes

• The Pirates beat the Cubs and the Cardinals beat the Nats. So those two will join the Reds in the playoffs, though the order is not yet decided. The Cards have a two-game edge, but the Nats are still smarting from two-straight seasons ended by the Cardinals and will be out for blood.
• The Pirates are going to the playoffs! Well, at least the playoff. Good for them.
• Shin-soo Choo will be headed to the playoffs for the first time in his career. Jack Hannahan is the only other long-sufferer, as I doubt Duke will make the roster.
• Sean Marshall got the Reds out of a jam this evening, which will be nice to see moving forward.
• The David Byrne/St. Vincent combo is probably my second-favorite combo to Cozart/Phillips
• Mark Lanegan/Isobel Campbell is also pretty rad. Mark Lanegan is what I think Pops looks/acts like.
  
• While I'm on the low-fi blues bull, I love this random Carl Spidla track. I heard it described as "put everything you care about, all of your fondest memories and saddest stories, into a box. Drag that box into the middle of your room. Put a tablecloth over the box. Now, don't ever think of the box again, even as you have to walk around it in order to shower, change, or bring your girlfriend over to visit. Never mention that box."
• That said, can't go full blues on such a happy occasion. Middle-age middle-west rag!