Holmy don't play dat: Holmberg and 'pen throttle Brewers, 5-1

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

David "Not Hanigan" Holmberg is your man for the evening. He sliced up eyeballs with surgical focus, throwing six innings while allowing only two hits and two walks. Honorable Mentions for Sam LeCure and Jumbo Diaz, who tossed the final three innings of the game with nary a hit allowed. Todd Frazier went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored.

Key Plays

• The Reds got rolling in the fourth as Brayan Pena and Frazier singled and Devin Mesoraco walked to load the bases with no outs. Yovani Gallardo then walked Brandon Phillips to bring home the first run of the game. Jay Bruce lobbed a sac fly to LF to bring home the next. Mesoraco was thrown out trying to advance, which pretty much killed the rally, but the Reds still led 2-0.
• Aramis Ramirez led off the Brewers' half of the fourth with a big ol' home run to make it 2-1. It was Holmberg's only real mistake in an otherwise impressive performance.
• The game was effectively put out of reach in the seventh when Billy Hamilton laced a handsome triple into the gap in right-center. Ryan Ludwick and Jason Bourgeois (who singled for Holmberg) scored to make it 4-1.
• Frazier led off the eighth with a double and promptly scored on a single from Mesoraco. That did it. 5-1.

Fangraph that looks like a visual representation of the emotional arc of a Kafka story

Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Jim Kelch and Chris Welsh called the game for FSO and commented on how loose and easy the team looked. I noticed it, too, and it's good to see. It would be easy for the whole team to get swallowed up by the Swamp of Sadness at this point in a lost season, but they continue to roll the boulder.
• Did you know Holmberg is just 22 years old?
• Hamilton's triple was his ninth of the season. With 13 games left, I'd like to see him get to double-digits.
• Good tunes, ken!