Joey Votto had another huge night, but Reds fell to Cardinals 12-5

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

MLB hasn't seen a hitter as hot as Joey Votto for this amount of time since the last time Joey Votto went bonkers - which was just last year.  The Cincinnati Reds 1B had another massive night on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, as he doubled, singled, dingered, and drove in a pair, keeping his 2nd half average well over the .400 mark and making things look easy once again.

It came in a game in which the Reds got stomped, but that's far from Votto's fault.  The hitting maestro was again magnificent, and for that he takes home this trophy.

Honorable Mentions are due to:  Scott Schebler, who crushed a 2-run dinger as part of a 2 for 5 evening; Eugenio Suarez, who went 3 for 5 with a pair of runs scored; and Tucker Barnhart, who went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Key Plays

• The Reds poked the scoreboard first in this one, and once again Votto was squarely in the mix. Suarez smacked a line-drive single up the middle with 1-out to begin things, and Votto followed with a double to the wall in LF drive him in.  Reds led, 1-0.
• Suarez singled up the middle again in the Top of the 3rd, and he once again scored after a Votto single moved him up and a sac-fly from Brandon Phillips ultimately brought him in.  Reds led, 2-0.
• Matt Carpenter is an expert at hitting baseballs.  He experted a Robert Stephenson meatball well into the seats beyond the RF fence in the Bottom of the 4th to get the Cardinals on the board and trim the Reds lead to just 2-1.
• Aledmys Diaz grew up with Jose Fernandez back in Cuba, which made his grand slam off Stephenson just two days after the passing of the absurdly talented and personable Miami Marlins pitcher that much more special to watch.  It effectively ended Bob Steve's evening on the mound, brought a lump into everyone's throat, and made each of us nod our heads to the baseball gods - who obviously have been looking down on the game of late.  Reds trailed, 5-2.
• Votto did what he could to dig the Reds out of their newfound ditch, belting a solo dinger into the RF seats in the Top of the 5th.  Unfortunately, Jhonny Peralta ohne-uhpped him in the Bottom of the 5th when he mashed a Matt Magill meatball into the grass beyond the CF wall for a 3-run dinger that left the Reds behind, 8-3.
• Wainwright is St. Looian for "meatball," which was good news for Schebler in the Top of the 6th, as he mauled one down the RF line for a 2-run dinger to bring the Reds closer at 8-5.
• Unfortunately, the dinger train kept right on rolling for the Cardinals, and it was Keyvius Sampson who was driving it in the Bottom of the 6th.  Matt Adams fatted a 2-run blast over the CF wall, and Randal Grichuk followed with a moonball of a solo blast behind him to put St. Louis ahead 11-5.
• St. Louis was then up 12-5 in a blink, and that's how things eventually finished.  Reds lost, 12-5.

Tony Graphanino

Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes

• Aledmys Diaz's grand slam was absolutely one of the more incredible moments I've watched in recent baseball memory, especially after having seen Dee Gordon's emotional homer just last night. It was impressive in every possible way, and certainly one of the moments that made everyone watching nod their head.
• Cincinnati pitching has now allowed more dingers this season than Jay Bruce, Kevin Mitchell, Barry Larkin, and Eric Davis hit in their careers, respectively.  You're next, Vada Pinson.
• Steve Selsky singled in his first plate appearance, meaning he'd hit safely in 7 consecutive plate appearances.  That's just selsky as all hell.
• Anthony DeSclafani will look to further bonk the Filthy Cards from the playoff race by starting tomorrow's outing.  He'll be opposed by former Adam Duvall trade bait Mike Leake, with first pitch set for 8:15 PM ET.
• Tunes.