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The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Adam Duvall was traded to the Cincinnati Reds by the San Francisco Giants in the deal that sent Mike Leake to the World Series champs, and Duvall blasted a pinch-hit 2-run dinger in his first PA with the Reds on Monday just hours after being called up.
Welcome back to the big leagues, Adam, and have yourself a trophy.
Honorable Mentions are due to: Joey Votto, who went 1 for 2 with 3 walks and a pair of runs scored; Tucker Barnhart, who went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a pair of ribbies; Eugenio Suarez, who dingered and scored twice; and Jason Bourgeois, who went 3 for 6 from the leadoff spot.
Key Plays
- Dexter Fowler blasted a solo shot for the Cubs in the Bottom of the 3rd to start the scoring, but the Reds got that run back a half-inning later on a single from Ivan De Jesus that backed a Votto single and - if you'll believe it - an error by Starlin Castro. Game tied, 1-1.
- The Cubs thought they were cheeky by walking Votto intentionally to load the bases in the Top of the 5th, but Brandon Phillips backed him by singling to score a pair of runs. Reds led, 3-1.
- Michael Lorenzen hit the skids in the Bottom of the 5th, however, as he yielded a double, walk, double, single, and hit a guy before being relieved by Ryan Mattheus, and after Kris Bryant drove in a run off an infield single, the Reds trailed, 5-3.
- Suarez and Duvall both blasted 2-run dingers in the Top of the 6th, however, and the Reds never looked back. A 6-run Top of the 9th muted an Addison Russell solo dinger in the Bottom of the 9th, and that was that. Reds win, 13-6!
Tony Graphanino
Source: FanGraphs
Other Notes
- Aroldis Chapman was brought in with just 1-out in the Bottom of the 8th, and after getting two quick outs, he was poised for a run of the mill 5-out save. Instead, the Reds' hot 9th inning bats meant he got to step into the batter's box, and after he reached on a fielder's choice, he motored around the bases to score on a Jason Bourgeois double. He finally picked up that 5-out save a half-hour later.
- Tucker Barnhart has his OBP up to a very Hanigany .347 on the season. Good on ya, Tuck.
- Joey Votto has his OPS up to 1.009, which is ridiculous.
- Mike Lorenzen has been rushed, see-sawed, yo-yo'd, and pretty much ineffective as a starting pitcher at the major league level to this point in his still young professional career. He's got great velocity, but the benefit of hindsight has me seriously questioning why he's been moved so aggressively through the minors to this point. It's hard to say anything is a lost year in a year as lost as the Reds have had in the standings, but I can't help but think a year of the Llama's service time five years down the road wouldn't have been more desirable than what he's put forth so far this year.
- That last sentence had the word "year" in it five times. It's late.
- Tunes.