The Reds get Decked early, can’t rally late, lose by one run again 7-6

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

The Reds did a lot of good things tonight. Joey Votto hit once, had an RBI, and walked twice because he basically lives on base. Scott Schebler hit twice, including a dinger. Zack Cozart dingered and walked. Billy Hamilton hit a freakin’ triple. The scuffling Adam Duvall hit twice, even. Luke Ferrell dealt out of the bullpen again, as did Michael Lorenzen, and, God love him, Ariel Hernandez didn’t allow a run despite himself.

None of it was good enough to win and it got me thinking... there are a lot of you out there watching this last place team play a team that nominally still has a shot at the division and definitely at a Wild Card spot because, well... I don’t know? You love baseball.

You, reader, basically could’ve and probably should’ve been doing anything else tonight. But instead, you were tuned in with us here at Red Reporter to see Votto do his thing just a few more times in 2017. To see if Wink’s power is real (it might be, btw). To bid Zack Cozart farewell. In a game where a guy named Deck McGuire started for your favorite ball club... here we are. Baseball for Cincinnati is about to end for the year and, well, we’re soaking it all in.

So you all get the trophy tonight. For being here, with us, at 11 PM on a Tuesday night at the end of September. If you’re reading this for the first time in the morning of the 27th, no. Not you. The rest of us.

Honorable mention to... see above.

Key Plays

• The Brewers jumped on Deck McGuire right away in this one. Eric Thames hit a ground rule double before Neil Walker, well, walked. Ryan Bruan and Travis Shaw got punched out swinging, but Domingo Santana cleared the bases with a three run domingo. Stephen Vogt then doubled before Orlando Arcia scored him on a single to center. Four run first for the Brewers, 4-0.
• Reds offense got some revenge for Deck in the top of the second. Eugenio Suarez unfortunately took a Zach Davies offering to the chest which looked pretty uncomfortable. Then Scott Schebler walloped a meatball to the second deck in right field. Tucker Barnhart smacked a double off the wall in right center, but the Brewers were able to throw Duvall out at the plate for the first out of the inning. McGuire then tapped out, as did Billy Hamilton, but the Reds got half of ‘em back, 4-2.
• Things were going alright for Deck in the fourth. Shaw led off with a with a ground ball single, but then Santana and Vogt recorded outs. Arcia singled on a line drive to put two aboard. Brett Phillips hit a ball that Gennett had to range to get, and his throw to Votto was well off line, which resulted in the ball skirting away from everyone, allowing the two runners to score and Phillips to reach third on the error. Brewers, 6-2.
• Billy Hamilton opened the top of the fifth with what looked like an easy triple. I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but he makes it look so damn easy. Zack Cozart walked before Joey Votto sent a sac fly to left, scoring Hamilton. The Reds got nothing else in the frame, still trail 6-3.
• After Kivlehan and Hamilton struck out to begin the seventh, Zack Cozart knocked his 24th tater of the year, a solo shot. Votto predictably walked before Scooter hit a single to center field, advancing Votto to second. Suarez singled softly enough to score Votto, but Schebler struck out to end the threat. Brewers still up, 6-5.
• Vogt opened up the Brewers half of the frame with another double and moved to third on an Arcia ground out. Jesus Aguilar walked before Hernan Perez hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Vogt. Eric Thames somewhat surprisingly struck out to end the inning. Brewers, 7-5.
• With two outs in the eighth, Jesse Winker had a pinch hit appearance. He quickly hit a dong to bring the Reds back within one run. Brewers, 7-6.
• The Reds couldn’t come all the way back, however, leaving the tying run on second base to end the game. Reds lose, 7-6.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• So, it’s not to say that Deck McGuire is a bad pitcher. He very well may not be. After the rough first, he was basically fine until that awful Gennett error, albeit he had to throw a lot of pitches to get there. I just have a feeling that when we look back on this season a couple of years from now and see that someone named “Deck McGuire” started some games in September, we’re all going to have to fire up the Baseball Reference machine to find out just who the heck that is.
• For instance, I present to you Collin Balester, who apparently is a person that pitched 15 some innings for the 2015 Cincinnati Reds. Who knew!?
• The Reds will face off with the Brewers in their penultimate game in Milwaukee for the season. Homer Bailey will make one last appearance of 2017 when he faces off against Brandon Woodruff at 8:10pm ET.
• Tunes.