Billy Hamilton gets steal number 200, Reds beat Pirates 4-2

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Billy Hamilton singled and scored a run on Thursday afternoon, both of which were jolly good baseball plays. Billy’s not getting today’s JNMHSotG because of those facts, however.

After singling in the Bottom of the 5th, Hamilton easily stole 2B, which marked the 200th steal of his still developing career. We’re big fans of nice, easy milestone numbers in these parts, and it’s well worth celebrating a damn fine accomplishment by the Cincinnati Reds CF.

Congrats, Billy, and here’s to getting the next 200 even quicker than the first ones.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Tim Adleman, who allowed just 2 ER in 6 solid IP, striking out 5 against 6 hits and a walk; Joey Votto, who went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles, a walk, and 2 runs driven in; Arismendy Alcantara, who went 3 for 3 with a stolen base; Adam Duvall, who drove in a pair with a single and a triple; and Michael Lorenzen, who fired 2 innings of perfect relief on a tidy 23 pitches.

Key Plays

• Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli was back in action on Thursday after four days off with sore foot. That foot got put into action early, as Cervelli singled to lead off the Top of the 2nd and motored all the way around to score from 1B on a double to the wall in right-center by Gift Ngoepe. Reds trailed, 1-0.
• The Reds finally got to Ivan Nova in the Bottom of the 4th, with Peraza leading the inning off with a single to RF. He scored when Votto doubled him in, and Votto then scored on a would-be double by Duvall, but Duvall slid off 2B with the tag still on him and was called out. That hurt, since Schebler followed with a double that was backed by an Alcantara single, but the Reds stranded them and only scored a pair to lead, 2-1.
• Hamilton singled and swiped 2B in the Bottom of the 5th, and he scored on Votto’s double into the RF corner. Duvall then drove in Votto with a laser into the LF corner that Gregory Polanco overran, resulting in a triple. Reds led, 4-1.
• Back to back Pirate doubles got them another run in the Top of the 6th, with Cervelli’s knocking Josh Bell in from 2B after his own. Reds led, 4-2.
• From that point forward, Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias combined to put the hammer down - as they are wont to do - and the Reds held on, 4-2.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Remember when Arismendy Alcantara had a 2-error day earlier this year in the midst of Scooter Gennett’s early season hot streak? After his big day today, Alcantara is hitting .333/.360/.458. That .818 OPS just happens to be better than Gennett’s .810 at the moment.
• That Other Note isn’t meant as a slight to Scooter, of course. Just serves to highlight the hilarity of putting too much faith into early season tiny sample sizes.
• Thursday's win brought the Reds back to .500 on the season at 14-14.
• The GABP homestand continues on Friday, with the San Francisco Giants rolling into town for a three game set. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for a bit earlier than normal - 4:40 PM ET - so set your baseball alarms accordingly. Matt Cain will get the start for San Francisco opposite Bronson Arroyo in an on-paper matchup that would’ve looked scintillating in 2009.
• Tunes.