Baserunning Woes And The Bullpen Blows: BOS 4, CIN 3.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Skip Schumaker will get the nod.  I feel dirty doing this, but he hit his first homerun as a Red.  It was a no doubter in the top of the 3rd.  Good on you, Skip.  He also had a walk.  Hopefully, his bat can be useful because he scares the hell out of me in center field.

Honorable Mentions:  Mike Leake had a fantastic start (7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K), Ryan Ludwick had two walks, and Sean Marshall had two strikeouts after a rough outing his last time out.

Key Plays

• In the first inning, the Red Sox threatened, getting runners to first and third with one out. With Mike Napoli up you are usually thinking bad things are going to happen, but Mike Leake coaxed one of his many ground balls on the night. Napoli is really slow, and the inning ended on a double play.
• In the top of the 2nd, Napoli decided to get his revenge. Ryan Ludwick had walked with one out, and then Roger Bernadina hit a sharp grounder down the first base line. Napoli fielded the ball, stepped on first, and almost simultaneously threw to second. Ludwick basically just stopped and was tagged. Napoli is a lot better at first base than he is at catcher. Ludwick was befuddled.
• In the top of the 3rd, something happened, and it was sweet. Chris Heisey smashed a pitched off the Green Monster (tm) in left. Zach Cozart bunted Heisey to third because SMALL BAWL! Skip Schumaker decided to take a stand against bunts when he got gritty on a ball deep over the right field wall for a 2-run rally killer. Reds lead 2-0.
• Things stayed quiet until the bottom of the sixth because Leake was coaxing those ground balls. Jonathan Herrera would single on a ground ball to center. Leake would punch out Pedroia then give up another single to Victorino that would push Herrera to third. After falling 2-0 against Ortiz, Leake would give up a single, scoring Herrera and pushing Victorino to third. Napoli would hit a ball into the right field corner four pitches, later and score Victorino. Grady Sizemore grounded out, and then Leake would intentionally walk Pierzynski to load the bases. Jackie Bradley Jr. would ground into a force play. Game tied, 2-2.
• In the top of the 7th, the Reds would answer. Frazier would lead off the inning by battering the Green Monster and getting a two run double. Pena would single to left field, and the Red Sox were in trouble again. Ryan Ludwick walked to load the bases and Farrell with bring in Chris Capuano for Jake Peavy. Roger Bernadina would come to the plate and hit a grounder to Pedroia, which would score Frazier. The runners would advance to second and third with one out, which is a good thing, right? Wrong. Heisey would hit a ball to third, and Pena broke instantly to the plate. He was thrown out easily. This seems like this is the tenth time this has happened this season. Cozart would ground out to end the inning, but the Reds lead 3-2.
• In the bottom of the 8th, Boston will mount a come back that probably shouldn't have happened. Manny Parra entered the game for Mike Leake, and struck out David Ortiz and walked Mike Napoli. Johnny Gomes was called upon to pinch hit for Grady Sizemore, and Bryan Price countered by bringing in JJ Hoover. Hoover was really good on Tuesday night, but Wednesday is not Tuesday. Hoover walked Gomes and then gave up a ground rule double to Pierzynski scoring Napoli. Hoover intentionally walked Jackie Bradley Jr. to set up the double play, and then gave up a single to Middlebrooks scoring Gomes. The problem with all this was, Sean Marshall was not warming with two lefties due up soon after Hoover was brought in.  Marshall was, apparently, not part of the plan.  Price would come out, end Hoover's suffering, and mercifully bring in Marshall. Marshall would strike out the final two batters of the inning, including ensuring Pedroia's Golden Sombrero. Fuck this. Red Sox lead 4-3.
• The top of the 9th didn't matter because Koji Uehara is amazing. He struck out the side. Fuck this even more. Reds lose 4-3. Boston takes the two game series.

Fangraphs Showing What Happens With Bad Bullpen Management

Other Notes

• The good news is Chapman should be back on Friday, at least that is what Price has been saying.  He got roughed up in his last couple outings, but he is throwing hard.  We could at least use a hard thrower.
• Joey looks frustrated and lost.  That makes me sad.  I hope that Joey can clear his head on the off day.  We need him.
• The base running mistakes are becoming too much.  I understand aggressiveness, and I even understand going on first contact from third on a grounder with less than 2 outs.  However, the Reds have lost too many runs.  Take a step and evaluate what you are doing.  Keeping runners on the bases is better than getting them thrown out.  Hamilton couldn't have scored on the ball Pena was thrown out on.
• Injuries suck.
• I'm listening to the presser right now, and Price said something about second guessing.  You're sure shootin' there, Price.  I'll chalk this up to manager inexperience, injuries, and a bullpen that has had the band-aid fall off.  It's a dirty gross band-aid and we need a new one.  Chappy will fix it.  I'll stay positive, but things need to change and I hope Price is getting it.  We are losing one run games because of bad decisions.  Luck has a lot to do with it, but managerial decisions also come into play.  I like Price and hope he can turn it around.  Chin up, let's go get 'em Friday.
• Tunes because I'm on a Foreigner kick and the lyrics kind of resonate with my feels on the shit that happened tonight.