Cubs 5, Reds 4 - Cincinnati wins race for DRAFT POSITION!

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs was pretty much the prototype one could hope for during a massive rebuild for the Cincinnati Reds.  Joey Votto - who is signed through each of our funerals - continued to mash; the rookie pitcher on the mound - Anthony DeSclafani - predictably struggled to go deep into the game, but was dominant prior to running out of gas; and Eugenio Suarez - the highest profile position player acquired in the sale of the bulk of the old rotation - blasted yet another dinger.

But they lost, which means they're that much closer to the top of the 2016 MLB Draft, which is the best opportunity to get better in a hurry.  So, have a trophy Walt Jocketty.  Enough people have already forgotten 2010, 2012, and 2013, so you could probably use a high-five from the internet right about now.

(This should really go to Joey Votto, of course, who went 2 for 3 with a dinger, a double, 2 ribbies, and a walk.  Mee-ow!)

Key Plays

• Votto stepped right up to the plate and blasted the first pitch he saw from Dan Haren in the Top of the 1st, canning a dinger well over the ivied wall in left-center for a solo shot.  Reds led, 1-0.
• Disco cruised through the early innings, and all told, he really even cruised while allowing the Cubs' first run.  That came in the Bottom of the 4th, and it came after Kyle Schwarber walked to lead off the inning - which haunted.  Schwarber moved to 2B on a soft ground-out off the bat of Chris Coghland, but a jam-shot pop-up single that landed just between Votto and Jay Bruce in shallow RF brought in the run.  Tough luck, Disco.  Game tied, 1-1.
• No matter, though.  Tucker Barnhart smacked a 1-out double in the Top of the 5th, and he then scored on a Disco single to LF.  Reds led, 2-1.
• Joe Maddon opted to bring in a LHP to face both Jay Bruce and Joey Votto in the Top of the 6th, and that bit the first-year Cubs manager immediately.  Bruce promptly doubled off the wall in RF, and he then scored when Votto smoked a choked-up opposite-field double behind him.  Reds led, 3-1.
• Disco ran out of gas in the Bottom of the 6th, and it cost the Reds a pair of runs.  A single and a walk preceded another Bryant single, and that chased the Reds starter to the showers with 2-outs in the inning.  Sam LeCure was summoned to the mound, but a single allowed to Miguel Montero drove in another run before the inning could be finished.  Game tied, 3-3.
• Suarez bonked a solo donk in the Top of the 7th, though, and that put the Reds temporarily back in front.  Unfortunately, Kyle Schwarber bashed a 2-run dinger off Burke Badenhop in the Bottom of the 7th, and the Reds bats went silent from that point on.  Reds lost, 5-4.

Tony Graphanino

Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Disco's final line:  5.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 7 K, 2 BB, and it truly seemed like he pitched better than that line displays.  Up until the 6th, he was really cruising.
• Brandon Phillips is hitting .285, has a .322 OBP, is playing defense at an elite level for the billionth consecutive year, and stole a pair of bags tonight to push his season total to 20.  He's already been worth 2.8 bWAR this year (and 2.1 fWAR), which means the next person who says his contract is an albatross is the next person who is wrong.  That's damn solid production.
• Joey Votto's hitting .315/.458/.563 now.  Does anyone have a moist towelette, by chance?
• Tunes.