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The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Todd Frazier dusted off his finest suit, his best skinny tie, slicked his hair back, and flew a pair of Cardinal pitches to the moon to get the nod this evening. Frazier sent his 14th and 15th junk twerks to play among the stars tonight, and despite his mid-season swoon, he now has as many RsBI (64) as Joey Votto, which is sure to make the hot air coming from Marty Brennaman sound like a Summer Wind. Whatever, Franchester. Frazier launched a bomb off starter Lance Lynn and another off reliever Seth Maness as part of a four homer evening from the Reds, and it was quite nice to see from the Toms River, NJ native. You've got the world on a string, Todd.
Honorable Mentions are due to: Tony Cingrani, who returned from the DL to toss 5 1/3 innings of 2 ER ball (with 7 Ks); Jay Bruce, who told twitter to get bent with his 27th HOVA of the season; and Shin-Soo Choo, who continued his push for big Free Agent bucks with a 2 for 3, 2 BB, HR evening from the leadoff spot.
Joey Votto walked twice, got booed, and needed an umbrella to shield the vitriol from the HoF Reds' radio booth this evening. I'd ask someone to explain that he's still hitting .300, still has over 20 HR, and still leads the NL in OBP, but you simply cannot talk to someone who refuses to listen. Hat tip to Joe Dan, though. There are still plenty of Cincy fans who love ya.
Key Plays
- The Reds scored a single run in six consecutive innings tonight, and that started in the Bottom of the 2nd with a Tony Cingrani special. The Reds' rookie LHP beat Lynn to the bag on a 2 out bunt, stole 2B, moved to 3B on a wild pitch, and scored on an infield "single" from Brandon Phillips to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. Frazier hit his first solo homer in the Bottom of the 2nd for a 2-0 lead, and Choo hit a solo dinger in the Bottom of the 3rd for a 3-0 lead.
- David Freese hit a solo slumpbuster in the Top of the 5th to make it a 3-1 game, but Jay Bruce countered in the Bottom of the 5th with a solo shot to CF of his own to make it 4-1. Cingrani then allowed a triple to Matt "Freakin'" Carpenter in the Top of the 6th, who came in to score a few pitches later on a wild one from Tony C. himself. Zach Duke came on and put out the fire, however. Reds led, 4-2.
- A Choo single and Votto walk set up a Bruce single up the middle that would allow Choo to score in the Bottom of the 6th, Frazier led off the Bottom of the 7th with his second boom-scooter of the game, and Sam LeCure and Aroldis Chapman ensured that was that. Reds win, 6-2!
FanGraph Section Suggesting These Reds Had it in the Bag the Entire Time
<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2013-09-05&team=Reds&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=2013-09-05&team=Reds&dh=0&season=2013">FanGraphs</a></span>
Other Notes
- That's 4 of the final 5 games of the season vs. the Cardinals notched in the win column for the Reds, including 3 of 4 this week to claim their first series victory over their NL Central rivals since forever ago.
- Todd's streaky. Todd may be hot now. That's hotty, Toddy.
- I see now you got the Reds pissed off! Blast off, lift off, time for them to twist off a batted fist off into the NL Central's domepiece, homepiece.