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It's raining wins! Hallelujah! CIN 2, WAS 1

The Reds weathered a rain delay and multiple recent shellackings to salvage a win and a .500 road trip.

By Wick Terrell
Peptalk McGee pondering postulations.
Peptalk McGee pondering postulations.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Alfredo Simon threw 7 innings of 5 hit, 1 walk, 6 strikeout, 1 run ball today, and picked up his 6th victory for the Cincinnati Reds in the process.  He doubled, too, and for that he earned today's JNMHSotG.

That's all I have to say about that.

Honorable Mentions are due to:  Zack Cozart, had another multi-hit day, this time from the 2nd spot in the order (and he's now 12 for 29 in his last 7 games); Todd Frazier, who went 0 for 2 but drew 2 walks to raise his season OBP to a robust .350; Brandon Phillips, who went 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI; and Aroldis Chapman, who returned to his striking-out ways with 2 in his clean 9th inning of work.

Key Plays

  • Denard Span followed up his 5 for 5 game from Tuesday by taking the second pitch he saw and smoking it for a dinger to lead off the Bottom of the 1st.  Reds trailed, 1-0.
  • After the Reds had been no-hit through the first 3 innings, Peptalk McGee huddled the team in the visitor's dugout for a little rally-clamoring, and fortunately the hitters responed.  Zack Cozart led off with a double down the LF line, and Phillips promptly singled to score him.  Mesoraco then smacked a smashed grounder at 3B Kevin Frandsen, whose bobble allowed Mesoraco to beat the throw.  Frandsen was charged with an error, Phillips moved up to 2B, BP beeped his way to 3B on a deep fly ball hit by Todd Frazier, and Brayan Pena's single then scored the Reds' second basemen.  Reds led, 2-1.
  • The Reds threatened to threaten in the Top of the 6th, but an iffy call on the bases at 3B and an hour-long rain delay threw a wrench in those plans.  Frazier took a leadoff walk and moved to 2B on a ground-out from Pena, and then Frazier took off in an attempt to steal 3B.  He was ruled out on the field, and although there were a pair of camera angles that suggested he may have just beat the tag, none of them were conclusive enough to overturn Bryan Price's challenge.  While Joe West & Co. were reviewing the call, the skies opened further, the tarp was brought on the field, and the game was delayed by right at an hour.  When the Reds came back out on the field, Chris Heisey singled, which would have scored Frazier had those alternate universes coexisted in a single plane.  Tanner Roark worked out of that jam, though, and no further damage was done.
  • Jonathan Broxton and Aroldis Chapman combined to close the door on the Nationals' chances in the 8th and 9th, and the Reds cruised into an off-day on a high note.  Reds win, 2-1!

FanGraph Graphin' Graphs from Fans


Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes

  • Before the game, the Reds activated Jay Bruce from the 15 day DL and placed Joey Votto on the DL retroactive to May 16th.  Bruce did not play, though he was active, and Votto will be out for at least 10 more days as a result.
  • Two innings after the Reds were screwed out of an overturn by an inconclusive replay, they were victimized by an overturn on an equally as inconclusive replay.  In the Bottom of the 8th, Billy Hamilton made a diving attempt at a line-drive hit by Span, and while it was a close play, the ruling on the field was a catch.  It was challenged, and while viewers saw nary a replay angle that showed that his glove was not underneath the ball when it bounced, the umpires overturned it.  Whatever.  I'm for replay and the time it takes if they're going to actually get calls right, but if they're going to spend half the time defending their own umpires and the other half botching calls, then screw wasting the time in the first place.  And don't get me started on the "Manager's challenge" portion of the concept again, please.
  • Zack Cozart is hitting .227.  Jay Bruce is hitting .216.  That ends today's lesson in Stats Always Tell a Story, But not All Stories Are Well Written.
  • Today's victory wrapped up a rather painful roadtrip in which the Reds were outscored 32-14.  But in today's edition of Pythagoras is a Jerk, it also wrapped up a .500 road trip.  The club now gets a day of rest for the entire bullpen, Jay Bruce back, and a big holiday weekend home crowd to face the St. Louis Cardinals.  All things considered, I'll take it.
  • Happy Birthday Biggie tunes (NSFW-style, of course).

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