Reds actually get a quality start, beat Cleveland 5-1 to open Ohio Cup

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Scott Feldman is a starting pitcher, at least at the moment.

Scott Feldman is a starting pitcher, at least for the moment, for the Cincinnati Reds.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitchers have been about as godawful as godawful could be through the first 1/4th of the 2017 season, but fortunately, Scott Feldman - the starting pitcher - was far from awful in Monday’s start against the Cleveland Indians.

Feldman fired 6 innings of 1 ER ball, an independent clause in a sentence that I’m not sure I’ve had the opportunity to write in what feels like a century. He struck out the first 5 batters of the game, struck out 9 overall, and allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks in that time. Nobody asked Scott Feldman to be the ace of this rotation, but he was signed to be somewhat of a veteran anchor, and with his season ERA now lowered to 3.99, that’s exactly what he’s provided them with so far.

Congrats, Scott, and here’s to hoping it rubs off on your starting rotation buddies.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Scott Schebler, who homered (again); Joey Votto, who doubled (again); Zack Cozart, who returned to the lineup and chipped in with a 2-run single; Wandy Peralta, who fired a perfect inning (with a K); and both Billy Hamilton and Tucker Barnhart, who had 2-hit evenings.

Key Plays

• Billy Hamilton led off the Bottom of the 1st with a single, and after he made it to 2B on a productive groundout by Joey Votto, the Cincinnati CF scored on Duvall’s RBI single into LF. Reds led, 1-0.
• Schebler doubled the lead in the Bottom of the 2nd, turning around a Josh Tomlin offering for a hard as hell hit homer into the RF seats. The solo shot left Cincinnati ahead, 2-0.
• Feldman breezed through the first 5 frames, but Jason Kipnis nailed a low fastball from Feldman that caught too much of the plate for a solo homer to start the Top of the 6th. Reds led, 2-1.
• The Reds got a single from Peraza in the Bottom of the 7th, and he motored all the way to 3B when Barnhart laced a single into CF. That brought the pitcher’s spot up and a pinch hitter in Alcantara, who dropped down a perfect suicide squeeze to bring Peraza in from 1B. Pitcher Josh Tomlin fielded the bunt and threw to nobody at 1B, too, leaving runners on 2B & 3B with 1-out when he exited for lefty Boone Logan. That fact proved important when Cozart singled through the middle with 2-out to score them both. Reds led, 5-1.
• From that point on, the combo of Peralta, Michael Lorenzen, and Raisel Iglesias again combined to shut down the opposition, and the Reds cruised home with a 5-1 victory.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• The Reds walked zero times tonight and bunted with a runner on 3B, yet still found a way to win handily. Fans of 1970’s baseball around the world rejoice!
• These two clubs will play again in Cincinnati on Tuesday before heading north to Cleveland for a game on both Wednesday and Thursday to wrap the ‘series.’ Carlos Carrasco will be on the mound for Cleveland on Tuesday, with Amir Garrett going for the Reds. First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET.
• Tunes.