Cincinnati Reds 7, Arizona Diamondbacks 11 - Paul Goldschmidt breaks out, Reds don't have enough to answer

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

It's been no secret the slump that Todd Frazier has found himself in since the beginning of July. From July 1st to August 10th, Home Run Derby Champion Frazier owned a line of .181/.213/.291. He's shown signs of life recently; in the 10 games since, Todd's smacked a much-more-Todd-like line of 293/.318/.537, good for an .855 OPS.

Tonight, the cornerstone 3rd basemen for your Cincinnati Redlegs followed up on that recent turn of good play by going 3-4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and an RBI and a walk. Todd started this season like gangbusters, good enough and elite enough to have his general manager using words like "untouchable" when the trade deadline came and teams came calling. He then fell asleep (or gave into that bitch called "regression"). If he's starting to turn it back on, well that makes a lost season for Reds fans a little more palatable.

A VERY close honorable mention to Joseph Daniel Votto, for managing a very Votto like line of 1-2 with 3 runs scored and 3 walks. Jay Bruce and Brennan Boesch with a hit and 2 RBIs a piece, and Ivan De Jesus, Jr. for his 1 pinch hit and RBI. Burke Badenhop I'll also mention, because he was the only Reds pitcher to not give up a run.

Key Plays

• The Arizona Diamondback batters jumped all over Anthony DeSclafani from literally the first pitch. Disco groved a 92 MPH fastball right down broadway which Ender Inciarte blasted into the seats. After AJ Pollock did what AJ Pollock does against the Reds (reach base), Paul Goldschmidt shook off a bit of slump by blasting a dinger of his own into right field. David Peralta, Aaron Hill and Jake Lamb were retired in order thereafter, but the Diamondbacks did their damage and led, 3-0.
  
  
• Brandon Phillips led of the Reds bottom of the inning with a single, which Eugenio Suarez followed with a very hard hit single of his own, all the way to the wall. Joey Votto struck out swinging, but Todd Frazier smoked a line drive single to center field to shake off a bit of slump of his own, scoring Phillips. Jay Bruce and Brennan Boesch went quietly, ending the rally and the inning. D-Backs, 3-1.
  
  
• To the surprise of nobody, Pollock led off the top of the 3rd with a single. They probably should've just saved DeSclafani's pitch count and let Pollock start on first base. Pollock stole second base, and then moved to third on a single by Goldschmidt. Peralta grounded into a double play, but Pollock scored from third. Hill watched strike three fly by to end the inning, but the Diamondbacks tacked on to their lead, 4-1.
  
  
• In the bottom of the 3rd, the Reds got serious. Suarez lined out. Joey Votto worked a walk to no one's surprise, Frazier then moved Votto to third and himself to second base when he knocked a two bagger to left filed. Jay Bruce jumped all over a Randall Delgado pitch for a double of his own, scoring both Votto and Frazier to bring the Reds within 1 run. Bruce moved over to third on a Delgado wild pitch, and then Breenan Boesch brought him in with a double knock of his own, tying the ball game. That spelled the end of Delgado's night, and Zack Godley was brought in to face Tucker Barnhart, who lined out. Ryan LaMarre struck out for the 3rd out of the inning. Score knotted at 4.
  
  
• The Diamondbacks bit back, however. After Lamb grounded out for the first of the inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia doubled to center field, followed by a Chris Owings single. Godley laid down a bunt single to load the bases for DeSclafani with only one out. Inciarte lifted a sacrafice fly to score Saltalamacchia. Pollock finally produced an out to end the inning, but the Snakes jumped back into the lead, 5-4.
  
  
• Goldschmidt opened the 5th inning with another hit, singling to right field. He was then off to the races and easily stole second after DeSclafani failed to check him at first base. That proved to be trouble, as Peralta moved him to third on a ground out and then Hill hit at sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Goldschmidt to score. Lamb flied out to end the inning. D-Backs led, 6-4.
  
  
• Votto singled to open the Reds' 5th, followed by a Frazier walk. Bruce did his best to erase Frazier on the base paths, drilling a ground ball directly at Goldschmidt, who turned and fired a bit wildly to Hill, who leaped to get it for one out and then fired back to first base for what was initially ruled a double play. But, after review, it was ruled that Goldschmidt's errant throw brought Hill too far off of the bag to be considered for the "neighborhood play," thus Frazier was safe at second. Boesch hit a ground ball out that scored Votto, while Barnhart grounded out to end the inning. Reds get one back, trail 6-5.
  
  
• Inciarte doubled to start the 7th, and while the Reds managed to get Pollock out again, Paul Goldschmidt reminded everyone why he's considered one of the best in the league, blasting a two run dinger into center field. Peralta and Hill did no other damage, but the Diamondbacks put up more runs, and this one began to feel out of reach, 8-5.
  
  
• In the top of the 8th, Lamb appeared to ground out to Frazier, but it was overturned after review. He moved to second on a wild pitch from Ryan Mattheus. Saltalamacchia grounded out to second, moving Lamb to third. Owings singled, scoring Lamb. Nick Ahmed hit a ground-rule double that put runners at second and third. That runner at third would prove to be costly after Mattheus threw another wild pitch, scoring Owings and allowing Ahmed to third. Inciarte then hit a grounder to Frazier, who attempted to gun down Ahmed to no avail. AJ Pollock then remembered who he was and who he was playing and singled on a line drive to center. Somewhat miraculously, Goldschmidt lined out, but it took a great defense play and slide by Bruce. Peralta grounded out to put a merciful end to this half of the 8th, Reds getting thumped, 11-5.
  
  
• Joey Votto walked to begin the bottom of the 9th, followed closely by a second Frazier double of the night. Bruce flied out, but David De Jesus, Jr. singled to right field to score Votto. Barnhart then followed with a single of his own, scoring Frazier, that caused the D-Backs to replace reliever Keith Hessler with Daniel Hudson. Hudson worked an out of each of LaMarre and Skip Schumaker to end the game, 11-7.

Tony Graphanino

<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=1124073&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2015-08-22&team=Reds&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width = "450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2015-08-22&team=Reds&dh=0&season=2015">FanGraphs</a></span>

Other Notes

• Coming into tonight, Paul Goldschmidt was hitting .208/.310/.292 for the month of August and had yet to get a hit against the team from Cincytown in this series. And then tonight happened, where the All-World 1B Goldschmidt went 4-5 with 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 runs scored and a stolen base. Damn.
  
  
• Anthony DeSclafani has reached 143 innings this year, 8 more than he recorded one year ago. There's a good chance he's beginning to wear down, and you'd have to think we're reaching a point in this 2015 season where Disco will be sat down to rest that arm.
  
  
• The Reds have lost 8 games in a row, their longest losing streak since, well, earlier this season. Philadelphia won tonight. The Reds are now 3 games down in the "1st Overall Pick" derby. Cool.
  
  
• The Reds will try and prevent a sweep and a season-worst tying 9 game losing streak tomorrow at 1:10 EDT. Chase Anderson will throw for the Snakes, Raisel Iglesias will toss for the Redlegs.
  
  
• Tunes.