Reds play baseball game. Reds lose baseball game. Marlins win, 7-3.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

I’m not sure what to write about Joey Votto at this point that hasn’t already been written and rewritten, over and over again. Not just in this space but also in many others. He’s great, and he might not have ever been better than he is this season.

He slumped coming out of the All Star break, but it certainly looks like he’s turned the corner since. After batting a woeful .138 for the first nine games or so out of the break, Joey’s reached base more than 50% of the time this week. Tonight, he mashed his first tater since his All Star game appearance (and his first since July 8th). He added another hit and appearance on base via HBP. After seeing his average dip below .300 for a brief moment, Joey’s season line is back up to .303/.428/.584 after tonight.

It has been a forgettable couple of weeks for the Reds with very little to look forward to as the trade deadline approaches. Thank goodness for Joey Votto.

Honorable mention to Adam Duvall, who also hit a dinger and flashed some good leather in the field, Billy Hamilton hit and walked, Patrick Kivlehan doubled, walked, and scored a run, while Jose Peraza hit and walked. Asher Wojciechowski, who entered the game from the Reds pen and didn’t actually shit the bed.

Key Plays

• With two outs in the first, Joey Votto lit up the home run statue (or at least they should’ve lit it up) with a dinger to center field. Reds, 1-0.
• With two outs in the third, Adleman served up a single to Dee Gordon, who then stole second with Giancarlo Stanton at the dish. Stanton walked before Christian Yelich deposited an Adleman offering into the seats. Marcell Ozuna walked, but JT Realmuto lined out to left to mercifully end the inning. Marlins, 3-1.
• In the top of the fourth, Adam Duvall played the ding dong game, smacking a homer of his own to the seats in left. Reds get one back but the Marlins remain on top, 3-2.
• In the bottom of the fifth, the wheels pretty much fell off for Adleman. He walked the pitcher to begin the frame, and then Gordon collected his third hit of the evening. Stanton cleared the bases with a no out double before Adleman finally got an out, striking out Yelich. Ozuna smacked the second double of the inning, scoring Stanton, and that was all he wrote for Tim Adleman. Asher Wojciechowski cleaned it up from there. Marlins lead grows, 6-2.
• Ozuna doubled again in the bottom of the seventh with two out, and Realmuto drove him in with a sharp single to left. Marlin play add on, 7-2.
• Patrick Kivlehan doubled to begin the ninth. Scooter Gennett and Tucker Barnhart both grounded out, but both moved the runner and eventually scored Kivlehan. Jose Peraza walked on four balls (I promise you read the right). Scott Schebler, pinch hitting, popped out to end any threat the Reds may have mounted. Reds lose, 3-7.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• I learned on the FS1 broadcast that Tim Adleman still works at an independent deli in Connecticut during the offseason. He excels at arranging cheese trays. I know it sounds like it, but I did not make up the last two sentences. They are very true.
• The Reds placed Zack Cozart on the 10 day DL this afternoon, retroactive to July 26th. That sucks, of course, because he’s the major trade piece the Reds hold and, well, the trade deadline is on Monday. Womp.
• Cincinnati Enquirer’s Zach Buchanan wrote this afternoon about Dilson Herrera’s impending shoulder surgery, with the little tidbit that the Reds were fully aware of Herrera’s shoulder issues when they discussed trading away Jay Bruce for him just over a year ago. Optimistic view: the Reds didn’t get played (but they may have played themselves).
• Oh, and Max Wotell (the other piece of the Bruce trade) was placed on the 60 day DL earlier this week, with what will likely require shoulder labrum surgery.
• In better news: Anthony DeSclafani pitched for Dayton tonight. He struck out the side in the 2nd inning, including a 95 MPH fastball to end the inning. That’ll do, Disco.
• The Reds will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow afternoon, first pitch scheduled for 1:10 PM EDT. If it holds and in a fun little piece of irony, Luis Castillo will face off against Dan Straily. You’ll remember, of course, that the Reds traded Straily for Castillo in the offseason. Straily is reportedly on the trade block, so hopefully he won’t get scratched and we’ll be able to watch this improbable matchup.
• Tunes.