Reds 2, Rockies 1 - Skip Schumaker is the hero the Reds deserve!

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Michael Lorenzen logged his best career start to date on Tuesday night in his rookie season with the Cincinnati Reds, as he held the Colorado Rockies to just a single run on a pair of hits during his 7 innings on the mound.  Lorenzen walked three, struck out three, and was as pitch efficient as could be hoped for while throwing just 90 pitches through 7 IP, and he flashed continual command against one of the more potent offenses in all of baseball.  If he can keep that kind of command, his stuff will have a chance to speak volumes, and here's to hoping tonight is the start of a great run for the rookie.

Honorable Mentions are due to:  Skip Schumaker, who chipped in with the walk-off double to bust the 9 game losing streak to pieces; Jay Bruce, who doubled to continue his torrid late-May surge; Marlon Byrd, who walked, singled, and scored a pair of runs; Jumbo Diaz, who logged his second consecutive scoreless inning in relief to help lower his bloated ERA; and Zack Cozart, who singled and walked from the leadoff spot.

Key Plays

• After the Reds stranded a pair of runners in the Bottom of the 1st and failed to score despite a single and a double, they managed to get a run off Rockies starter Chris Rusin in the Bottom of the 2nd.  Marlon Byrd singled and moved to 2B on a well executed bunt from Lorenzen, and Billy Hamilton followed with a single to RF to drive in Byrd.  A hit with RISP!  Reds led, 1-0.
• The Reds held on to their slight lead as Lorenzen cruised through his first 4 IP, but Nick Hundley shattered that momentum with a 2nd deck dinger launched over the wall in LF in the Top of the 5th.  Game tied, 1-1.
• The rain picked up from time to time, and both Rusin and Lorenzen held their opponents in check for the bulk of the rest of the game.  Finally, in the Bottom of the 9th, Byrd took a leadoff walk, and for the first time in seemingly forever, the haunting befell the Rockies.  Byrd moved to 2B on a sacrifice from Kris Negron, and Schumaker followed with a cue-ball shot down the LF line that just cleared the reach of vacuum-like Nolan Arenado.  Byrd initially hesitated, but he rounded 3B and came home for the game winning run.  Reds win, 2-1!