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The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Costa Rica? Is it the beaches? Maybe the coffee that is produced there? Possibly the volcanos that you could see on your next trip? While it might not be the first thing that comes to your mind, you should also think of all of the baseballs that are produced in Costa Rica. According to Reuters, Costa Rica houses the "world's only factory authorized" to supply MLB with their balls. Some estimates suggest that the factory can turn out as many as 2.4 million baseballs in one year.
Now I know what you're thinking. Eric, why is a factory in Costa Rica the star of tonight's game?
Because finishing this game would require an obscene amount of baseballs. It might have required all the baseballs.
Honorable Mentions: Joey Votto and Jay Bruce both hit solo home runs; Jay Bruce had three hits and two RBI.
Key Plays
- Charlie Blackmon hit a home run (1st inning).
- Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run (1st inning).
- DJ LeMahieu hit a home run (2nd inning).
- Carlos Gonzalez hit a home run (2nd inning).
- Gerardo Parra hit a home run (3rd inning).
- Nolan Arenado hit another two run home run (6th inning).
- Charlie Blackmon hit a grand slam (7th inning).
- The Rockies picked up even more runs in the first inning when Gerardo Parra doubled with the score already 3-0. The next hitter, Daniel Descalso, scored Parra on a single to center. Tony Wolters then drove in Descalso with a double. By the end of the first it was 5-0 Colorado.
- Cincinnati finally got on the board in the 3rd inning. Tucker Barnhart led off the inning with a single off of Jon Gray. Jon Moscot was the next batter up, and in a scary scene he was hit in the head with a pitch (he stayed in to run). Zack Cozart then drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Gray then went on to walk Billy Hamilton, and the Reds were on the board. The bases were still loaded, there was still no one out, and the Reds were sending Votto, Duvall, and Bruce to the plate. Yay! Votto struck out, Duvall struck out, and Bruce grounded out. Boo.
- In the 6th the Reds chipped away at Colorado's 8-1 lead. Joey Votto led off the inning with his 9th home run of the season, and Bruce connected for his 10th. Both were solo shots, and it left the score at 8-3.
- However, in the bottom of the 6th the Rockies took those runs right back. Cristhian Adames led off the inning with a double. LeMahieu then drove Adames home with a double. Nolan Arenado was the next batter (see above).
- Yes, the Rockies scored four in the 7th on Blackmon's grand slam (see above), but that wasn't the end! Carlos Gonzalez drove in DJ LeMahieu with and RBI double. Later, Gerardo Parra scored Nolan Arrenado on a sac fly.
- In the top of the 8th Jay Bruce drove home Billy Hamilton with a triple. This got the Reds within 13.
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- According to the Reds Media Relations, Moscot was the first Reds pitcher to allow four home runs in a game since Homer Bailey on 4/14/14.
- Mark Sheldon sat in for an inning with Marty during the broadcast. He noted that it's possible Anthony DeSclafani could rejoin the team as early as a week from Thursday against St. Louis.
- As mentioned above, Jon Most was hit by a pitch in the right ear. He stayed in the game to run, but Daniel Wright replaced him after the inning. It was an unfortunate turn of events for Moscot who had just been called up earlier in the day.
- Brandon Phillips was expected to start tonight, but he sat out with a sore left foot. Jordan Pacheco got the start in his place.
- The Rockeis 13 extra base hits were a franchise record. Their seven home runs tied a franchise record.
- Tunes aren't going to cut it tonight. Hopefully this makes you smile.