Reds take another early lead, lose another game to Toronto

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Joey Votto waited patiently on a Mike Bolsinger curveball in the game’s opening inning, and knocked the crud out of it for a 2-run homer over the CF wall. It proved to be the biggest hit of the day for the Cincinnati Reds in yet another game in which they took an early lead only to watch it fade away late.

It was the second homer in as many days for Votto, his 14th overall this season, his pair of ribbies brings him into a tie for 5th in all MLB with 42 on the season, and his walk was his MLB-best 39th of the year. In other words, while the pitching has continued to be a major disappointment, Cincinnati’s 1B continues to be one of the absolute best hitters on the planet.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Zack Cozart, who singled, scored, and coaxed another walk; Jose Peraza, who doubled in a run as part of a 2 for 3 day (that included another stolen base); Scott Schebler, who dingered, walked, and scored twice; and Tim Adleman, who was totally serviceable once again, firing 6 innings of 3 ER ball.

Key Plays

• Zack Cozart singled as the second batter of the game, because Zack Cozart is a gawdang hitting machine. Joey Votto backed him with a 2-run homer as the third batter of the game, because Joey Votto is a gawdang dinger-mashing RBI deity. Reds led early, 2-0.
• Singles by Ezequiel Carrera and Jose Bautista left runners at the corners with 1-out in the Bottom of the 1st against Tim Adleman, and Carrera then scooted home on a sac fly from Kendrys Morales. Reds led, 2-1.
• Back to back walks to Scott Schebler and Scooter Gennett came back to haunt Toronto starter Mike Bolsinger, even after Tucker Barnhart grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. That left Schebler on 3B, and he scored on Peraza’s 2-out ground rule double that bounced over the wall in right-center. Reds led, 3-1.
• Luke Maile leveled the score in the Bottom of the 5th, clubbing a 2-run homer just over the wall in left-center after Ryan Goins had dropped a successful bunt down the 3B line in front of him. Game tied, 3-3.
• Goins coaxed a walk off Wandy Peralta in the Bottom of the 7th, and that proved large when Devon Travis later launched a 2-run homer into the LF seats on the 9th pitch of his at-bat, leaving the Reds behind, 5-3.
• Schebler cranked a solo homer off Roberto Osuna in the Top of the 9th, his NL-best 16th of the season, and the Reds later managed to get runners on the corners thanks to a Barnhart single and a error at SS by Goins off the bat of Peraza that would’ve been a surefire game-ending double play. Osuna rebounded to strike out Hamilton and Cozart, however, and the Reds fell, 5-4.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Adleman’s final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K on 95 pitches. That lowered his season ERA to 4.89, which when viewed through “Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher” lenses looks rather Kershawian.
• Votto’s 1st inning homer means the Reds have now scored in the 1st inning in six consecutive games. Of course, they’re only 2-4 in those games because their own starting pitching has been la poubelle, but it’s still a good sign.
• The Reds have an off-day tomorrow, which is enough to make anyone sad. They will, however, resume play on Friday back at GABP with the Atlanta Braves (read: Brandon Phillips) in town. First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET, with a scheduled pitching matchup of Bronson Arroyo vs. Mike Foltynewicz.
• Cincinnati’s now 4 games under .500, their worst such mark of the season.
• Tunes.