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The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
I'm going to call this one a tie. On one hand, you hit a walk off homer, you get the JNMHSotG honors. It's on page four of the Red Reporter handbook. So here's to you, Joey Votto.
But on the other hand, I mean, come on. It's the Johnny Cueto Show, yet again. Eight innings, eight strikeouts, five hits, one walk, two runs. This almost felt like a disappointing start for the man. Enjoy it, Reds fans. Cueto is on a roll like you rarely see.
Honorable mentions go to Skip Schumaker and Billy Hamilton, each with a double and a run scored, and Todd Frazier with a truly massive home run.
Key Plays
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The Reds struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a Schumaker leadoff double, a Brayan Pena groundout to first, and a sacrifice fly from Brandon Phillips. Reds lead 1-0.
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In the bottom of the second, Frazier deposited the first pitch he saw 485 feet away, giving him the sixth longest home run in Great American Ballpark history. Reds lead 2-0.
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Troy Tulowitzki then led off the top of the fourth inning with a home run of his own, cutting the Reds lead in half to 2-1.
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An inning later, DJ LeMahieu singled, advanced on a ground out, and scored on Charlie Blackmon's single. Tie game, 2-2.
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In the bottom of the eighth, Cueto was pulled for pinch hitter Billy Hamilton, who laced a double down the right field line. I guess he can grip a bat now. Schumaker followed up with a bunt, advancing Hamilton to third. Pena then lifted a sacrifice fly to right center, scoring Hamilton easily. Reds lead 3-2.
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Jonathan Broxton came into the game to try to nail down the save. With one out, Nolan Arenado walked, and Justin Morneua doubled to left center, scoring Arenado. Tie game, 3-3.
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In the bottom of the ninth, Votto sent the Reds fans home happy. Walk off home run. Reds win 4-3.
Walkoffgraph
Other Notes
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This was not only Broxton's first blown save on the season, but it was the first time he's given up a run.
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Arenado's Rockies franchise record 28 game hitting streak came to an end tonight. Cueto got him three times, and Broxton walked him in the ninth.
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Per John Fay, Cueto set a Reds franchise record tonight, with 66 strikeouts in his first eight starts. The previous record was held by Mario Soto, with 64 strikeouts in his first eight starts in 1980.
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Cueto has still not allowed more than two runs or more than five hits in a single start this season.
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Reds win 4-3, which is the same score as both their losses at Boston this week.
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The Reds are now 3-1 in games I've written the recap for. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
- Friday Night Tune!