Too Vot-too trot: Reds lose 5-7

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Joey Votto went 2-5 with a home run and was struck out in the bottom of the ninth by a verrrry shaky called strike 3. It was his 8th dinger of the year so far.

Props to Scott Schebler for going 2-3 himself with a home run and a walk, as well as Scooter Gennett’s 2-4 night with a double.

Key Plays

I always sign up for these on the wrong nights. Deep breath.

• Cincinnati started the scoring when Scott Schebler pulled a dinger down the line to make it 1-0 in the second inning!
• The third, though. An Eugenio Suarez throwing error – his first of the year – allowed Grichuk on base as he hundred-legged it to second. Kolten Wong doubled to bring him in. After a Lance Lynn strikeout, Dexter Fowler hit a dinger to make it 3-1 Cardinals.
• Eugenio Suarez night, it was not. The Reds loaded the bases in the sixth inning, but Eugenio Suarez got improbably picked off of third to end the threat.
• A threat deferred is a threat denied. A Jedd Gyorker hyomer, a Piscotty walk, and a Yadier Molina single chased Adleman. Blake Wood was hittable as well, tough. He let up a Grichuk single, a Wong walk, and a Matt Adams sac fly to get more on board before a Fowler walk and a Diaz grounder ended the inning at 6-1 Cards.
• The good ol’ single-double-sac fly (Gyorko/Piscotty/Molina) thing in the seventh got another one for the Cards. 7-1.
• The Reds came back in the 8th! Zack Cozart singled, Joey Votto hit a home run, [two outs later] Schebler walked, Devin Mesoraco singled and then Scooter hit a double to bring in a couple more. Patrick Kivlehan walked, but Billy Hamilton popped out against the closer Oh to end the Reds next best chance. Reds lose 7-5.

Fangraphs

Other Notes

• Bronson Arroyo and Mike Leake face each other at 2:10 pm ET tomorrow afternoon. No word on if the 40-year-old BroYo will take out his acoustic guitar but to play some Harry Chapin jams.
• Devin Mesoraco came back! He went 1-3 with a walk, which is pretty good. He also caught Piscotty trying to steal. All in all, he acquitted himself decently.
• I really enjoyed this Henry Bacha bit on how Chicago is trying to make a resurgent Black baseball experience in the South Side.
• If you like great beer and don’t like structural racism, then join my pal Stuart in thumbing the nose at Confederate nostalgists in the greater St. Louis area — especially if you’re in town to watch the game this weekend. Go check out Earthbound!
• On-point jams are right here.
• As in love with the revamped Mystery Science Theater 3000 as I am? Give the house band, Har Mar Superstar, a listen. It’s kinky slow jams done right.