Homer gets thumped, Reds fall to Cards 13-4

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

I entertained the thought of giving this to Kevin Shackelford, who threw two innings of one-hit shutout baseball in garbage time in this Reds blowout loss. But really, this was Votto’s to lose. He worked a full count against Adam Wainwright in the first inning before clubbing a 3-run homer, his second in as many days and 29th of the season. He went to the plate just once more before getting pulled for some rest, finishing 1-for-1 with that 3-run homer and a walk. His hit streak is now 11 games coming off that post-break slump, with his line over that span standing at a blistering .485/.587/.818. So Votto’s gonna take this one home.

Honorable mentions go to Shackelford, Eugenio Suarez, who walked and dingered for the 18th time this season, Adam Duvall, who reached twice with a single and walk, Tucker Barnhart, ditto Duvall, and Drew Storen, who pitched a scoreless ninth.

Key Plays

• You had to feel good about this one early. Billy Hamilton and Zack Cozart each smacked singles to start the game against Adam Wainwright, and Joey Votto smashed his 29th homer of the season behind them to quickly make it 3-0 Reds. Two walks and another single later, Wainwright had thrown 35 pitches to the first six hitters of the game and still hadn’t recorded out. He finally got Jesse Winker to bounce into a 3-2 double play, though, before striking out Homer Bailey to avoid the truly monster inning Cincinnati was poised to inflict.
• The Cardinals didn’t waste any time getting revenge. Five straight hits started the top of the second inning, four of which were doubles, allowing St. Louis to claim a 4-3 lead before Bailey retired a batter in the frame.
• The fourth inning will go down as one of the worst for Reds pitching in franchise history. A walk started the frame, with a Wainwright sacrifice bunt advancing the runner to second. The next six hitters would all reach, and subsequently they would all score. Nine runs touched home plate in the fourth, with Bailey’s final tally of 10 runs allowed marking a career high. Cardinals led 13-3.
• Both offenses were quiet from that point forward, save for a 430-foot center field blast off the bat of Suarez in the eighth. Reds fall 13-4.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Indianapolis, Indiana native and longtime Reds fan David Letterman was in attendance taking in today’s thumping. Jim Day caught up with the late night icon late in the game, who said his retirement life bears lots of similarity to that of the late Joe Nuxhall.
• Today is also the 18th birthday of Reds first rounder Hunter Greene.
• The Reds begin a four game set hosting the San Diego Padres on Monday, with Tim Adleman taking the hill opposite Jhoulys Chacin.
• Tunes.