Jose? Oh, no, Fernandez no match for Ace Straily. Reds win, 5-4

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Ramon Cabrera came into the night with a 55 OPS+ as the Reds back up catcher and has been a perfectly fine back up, considering the whole, “our franchise catcher has had so many surgeries he’s a robot now and our perfectly fine backup catcher is our everyday catcher now.” Oh, and then considering the Reds were losers of 69 before tonight... what more can you ask of your backup backup catcher?

Well, you couldn’t ask it, but Ramon Cabrera was willing to give you a 2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI night. And the whole damn thing was spectacular to watch on such a lost season like this. I have no idea what the future holds for Ramon Cabrera and the Reds. But this was certainly a big night for him.

So have a trophy, Ramon. You deserve it.

Honorable mention to Ace Straily, who was dealing before running out of gas in the 6th, Joey Votto for his 2 walk, 1 run scored, Brandon Phillips for one hit and a run and also a weird kinda sac-fly. Eugenio Suarez doubled and batted a run in, while Black Wood nailed down the win from the pen.

Key Plays

• Razor Ramon Cabrera got the Reds on the board first in the bottom of the 2nd. Brandon Phillips singled to open the inning, and then Scott Schebler singled to center after a Eugenio Suarez strike out. Cabrera smacked a slider that slid right into his wheelhouse that didn’t land until it reached the right field seats. That was all the damage the Reds would muster in the inning, 3-0.
• Reds did even more blooping and bopping in the bottom of the 3rd. Billy Hamilton singled to start the inning and, well, Billy Hamilton on base with no outs in the inning is not a position to be in if you’re a pitcher that doesn’t pitch for the Reds. Ivan De Jesus struck out, before Joey walked, because of course Joey walked. Phillips lifted a fly ball to center field that Marcell Ozuna collected, but as Billy tagged and motored to third, the ball got by the third baseman. Billy scored on the error. Suarez came to the plate and smacked a double to the wall in left, scoring Joey. Schebler ended the inning on a strikeout, but the Reds extended their lead, 5-0.
• Martin Prado singled to lead off the 6th, because Martin Prado hits the Reds. Straily managed to strike out Yelich, but couldn’t help serve up a two run dinger to Ozuna in the next at bat. Ichiro singled next, but just when it looked like the wheels were starting to fall off the Straily Bus, Chris Johnson grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Whew. Marlins gain ground, 5-2.
• In the top of the 7th, Jeff Mathis reached on a throwing error on Jumbo Diaz, who came in to replace Straily. Jumbo then walked Adeiny Hechavarria before getting his first out with a strikeout to Derek Dietrich. Dee Gordon grounded out to first to move the runners. Martin freakin’ Prado belted a line drive to right field that scored two, however, because Martin Prado Hits the Reds. Blake Wood would then relieve Jumbo and, thankfully, retire Yelich with a strikeout. Marlins get two more, 5-4.
• The Reds would limit any more damage and sneak out with the win, 5-4.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Reds came into this one with 69 losses and a .420 winning percentage, which is totally #nice, brah.
• This is totally off topic, but I can’t be the only who thinks, “it won’t,” EACH and every time the Reds broadcast opens an inning with, “If a Reds home run hits the Toytoa sign...” Right? It’s never, ever going to happen.
• Bad news from our friend at the Enquirer, Zach Buchanan; the Reds are considering season ending wrist surgery for 2015 first rounder Tyler Stephenson. 2016 has been an injury disappointing season for Stephenson, regardless, but “missing a lot of the season due to various injuries” and, “being shut down for much of the off-season due to surgery” are much different, depressing things.
• The Reds served up Jose Fernandez his shortest and, probably, his worst outing of the season at 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 6 SO, 1 BB. Hashtag Reds Post-All Star Break buzz saw dot gif.
• Tomorrow, the Reds will do battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park. Tim Adleman will (hopefully) make his triumphant return to the Reds starting rotation in what used to be Cody Reed’s spot, opposite LA’s Bud Norris. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm EDT. Red Reporter will have all of your indepth, hard hitting, accountable, favorite coverage.
• Tunes.