Reds turn nifty triple play, still lose to Yankees 4-2

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

I dunno. Scott Schebler?

Schebler busted up Jordan Montgomery’s would-be no-hitter in the 6th inning with a double, and later scored on Arismendy Alcantara’s productive grounder. On a night when the Cincinnati Reds scored just two runs and had just three hits, that’s just about as good as anything, I suppose.

Hopefully, it’s the start of Schebler getting back on the same kind of power binge that saw him crush 20+ dingers in the early part of the season. Otherwise, well...crap.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Jose Peraza, who took his first non-intentional walk since Oliver Cromwell was named Lord Protector of England in 1653; Adam Duvall, who singled and walked; Luis Castillo, who allowed 3 ER in his 5 IP, and despite iffy peripherals (2 Ks, 2 BBs) looked electric yet again; and Drew Storen, who fanned a pair in his lone inning of relief.

Key Plays

• The Yankees scored their first run on a bases loaded triple play. Yup. Just your average, run of the mill 6-6-3-3-5-6 triple play, with Matt Holliday scoring in the Bottom of the 2nd while Didi Gregorius, Chase Headley, and Todd Frazier all made outs on the bases. It came off the bat of Frazier, the new Yankee, in his first home PA since being traded to New York, which just adds to the what-the-effedness. It appears it was just the seventh run-scoring triple play in MLB history, at that. Reds trailed, 1-0, but it was totally worth watching.
• New York tacked on another run in the Bottom of the 4th, as Aaron Judge scored. It didn’t come on a 9 bajillion foot dinger, fortunately, as all he did was single, move to 2B on a productive grounder, take 3B on a balk by Castillo, and score on a Gregorius sac-fly. A run nonetheless, though, and the Reds trailed, 2-0.
• Frazier singled in his second PA, but was quickly retired at 2B when Tyler Wade followed with a grounder for a force-out in the Bottom of the 5th. Replacing Frazier on the bases with the speedy Wade proved to be a bummer, however, as he motored all the way around to score on Austin Romine’s oppo double down the RF line. Reds trailed, 3-0.
• Jordan Montgomery rode a no-hitter into the Top of the 6th, but Schebler busted that up with his leadoff double to the wall in right-center. He tagged and moved to 3B on a deep fly-out to CF by Jose Peraza, and later scored on a productive groundout by Arismendy Alcantara. Reds trailed, 3-1.
• Dellin Betances took over for the Yankees in the Top of the 8th, and his wildness was quite beneficial for the Reds. He walked both Devin Mesoraco and Peraza (!!!!) before pinch hitter Zack Cozart grounded into a force play that left him on 1B and Mes on 3B. Hamilton then followed with a double off the wall in RF to bring in Mesoraco and push Cozart to 3B, and the Reds trailed just 3-2.
• Michael Lorenzen took over for the Bottom of the 8th, and he promptly served up a meatball to Gregorius that put the Reds behind, 4-2.
• After that, Aroldis Chapman shut down the Reds, and that was that. Reds lost, 4-2.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Joey Votto hit a trio of hard liners pretty much right at Yankee defenders. Slumping is as slumping does, it seems.
• Cozart exited the game in favor of pinch runner (and pitcher) Robert Stephenson in the Top of the 8th, and The Enquirer’s C. Trent Rosecrans noticed Cozart was pointing towards his balky quad muscle while running from 1B to 3B. Considering there’s interest in him and the trade deadline is less than a week away, that’s godawful hilarisad news for the Reds at the moment. Dang.
• It’s a day game “series” finale for the Reds and Yankees on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for an early 1:05 PM ET. Homer Bailey will square off against fireballin’ youngster Luis Severino, and there very likely will be dingers launched. Launching during lunching, how can you beat that?
• Tunes.