Reds stop leak, Leake stops DBacks CIN 3, ARI 0.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Mike Leake had an RBI single tonight for the Cincinnati Reds, the first such RBI from the 9th spot in the batting order since I have no idea when (probably a long time), and that's the kind of offensive explosion that warrants the JNMHSotG for the evening.  I mean, heck, if not for Martin Prado knocking it down it may well have been a 2 RBI single.

Leake also pitched-in (bad pun) with 7.2 scoreless innings from the mound, where he allowed just 5 hits and struck out 8 Snakes while walking none (and hitting just one guy).  Not a bad evening.

Honorable Mentions are due to:  Todd Frazier, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI, a steal, and a run scored; Billy Hamilton, who doubled and scored; Brayan Pena, who knocked in a run; and Ramon Santiago, who had a pair of spectacular plays at 2B, one of which saved at least one run.

Key Plays

• The Reds entered tonight's game having gone just 2 for 31 with no walks in the 1st inning in their 10 post-ASB games (with both hits being singles), but Billy Hamilton eschewed that in favor of a leadoff double down the LF line in the Bottom of the 1st.  He then scored two batters later when Todd Frazier daddy-strength'd a single to LF.  Reds led...wait, what?  Dang!  Reds led, 1-0.
• The Reds followed their 1st inning by doing something recently rumored to be extinct:  score in consecutive innings.  The Bottom of the 2nd saw Donald Lutz loop a single into RF, a wild pitch from Trevor Cahill that allowed Lutz to take 2B, and a 2-out single by Mike Leake (Mike Leake!) that ricocheted off 3B Martin Prado into foul ground in LF that allowed Lutz to come home.  Reds led, 2-0.
• The Good Guys tacked on an unprecedented THIRD run in the Bottom of the 6th, and I've got to tell you...holy mackerel.  The motion in the ocean got stirring when Frazier singled with 1-out and stole 2B, and after he moved to 3B on a gritty grounder from Devin Mesoraco, Todd motored home on a very NERTY single from Brayan Pena.  Reds led, 3-0.
• Leake continued to cruise, avoiding trouble into the Top of the 8th before ultimately departing with 2 outs and men on 1B and 2B.  Jonathan Broxton got the final out, however, and Aroldis Chapman retired the Diamondbacks in order in the 9th to lock things up.  Reds win, 3-0!