Buster Posey cranks 17th inning walk-off dinger to beat Reds

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Scott Feldman was good! Quite good, in fact. The resident healthy-and-can-pitch-still anchor of the Cincinnati Reds staff backed up the complete game shutout he fired against the San Francisco Giants just last weekend with another solid outing Friday, yielding just 2 ER in his 7 IP.

Considering he was up against former Cincinnati ace Johnny Cueto, the outing looks that much more impressive. So, thanks for that, Scott, and have a trophy.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Scott Schebler, who had a 3 hit night; Blake Wood, who tossed 2 perfect innings in relief; Scooter Gennett, who singled, tripled in a run, and scored; Zack Cozart, who walked twice; Joey Votto, who went 2 for 7 or 8 or 23; Wandy Peralta, who is still awesome; Michael Lorenzen, who tossed a scoreless inning; Robert Stephenson, who mopped up impressively as all heck (for a time); and Austin Brice, who fired another scoreless inning from the ‘pen.

Key Plays

• San Francisco struck first in this one, with Denard Span homering for the second consecutive game - this time to leadoff the Bottom of the 1st. Reds trailed, 1-0.
• The Reds wasted no time in striking back, however, as Gennett’s second triple in as many games scored Scott Schebler in the Top of the 2nd, as the Cincinnati RF had singled in front of him. Tucker Barnhart then lifted a sac fly into deep enough RF to bring in Scooter, and the Reds led, 2-1.
• The Giants got level by bunting. By bunting, bunting, and bunting again. Both Eduardo Nunez and Justin Ruggiano dropped bunt singles down the 3B line in the Bottom of the 5th, and Johnny Cueto then bunted them over. That led to an RBI single by Span into RF, though fortunately for the Reds Span gambled on trying to turn it into a double and Cincinnati nabbed him at 2B. Game tied, 2-2.
• Some seventeen hours later, the game was still tied. Still. In the 15th inning. Still.
• Finally, mercifully, Buster Posey launched a walk-off dinger in the Bottom of the 17th inning off Robert Stephenson, and that was that. Reds lost, 3-2.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• It’s 2:21 AM ET as I type this, and the game is not yet over. Senility is in view.
• Shortly after typing that, the Reds had a pair of runners on in the 53rd or 75th inning, but Scooter Gennett got picked off at 2B to end whichever mid-morning inning that was.
• Props to the bullpen, who chewed hard on a nail sandwich and spit it right at the Giants all night, firing 7 8 24 32 or so consecutive scoreless innings on the night.
• Billy Hamilton sure as heck appeared to injure something while striking out to end the Top of the 16th inning, and certainly appeared uncomfortable while playing CF afterwards.
• Remember when it was just 2:21 AM ET? It’s now 3:32 AM ET. Still playing.
• Saturday’s game will feature Lisalverto Bonilla in his return to the Cincinnati pitching staff, as he’ll get the start opposite Matt Moore. First pitch is set for 4:05 PM ET, so tune your butts in then.
• Tunes.