The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Tucker Barnhart, the hero on Saturday night, did some more banging tonight. He got the Reds on the board early in the game with a solo tater, then added two more walks for his troubles.
As you can see by the three total runs, it wasn’t a great night for the Redlegs. But still, it’s great to see Tucker get the bat going like this. More often than not, when Tucker homers and walks twice, you’re going to see a pretty good result for the Reds, given the rest of their offensive weapons.
Honorable mention to Joey Votto, for doubling and walking and doing it on one damn leg. Scooter Gennett blasted a needed dinger. Curt Casali did, too. Cody Reed, for notching a perfect inning in relief in his first game back in MLB since April 17 and Brandon Dixon for being the best Reds relief pitcher in this game.
Key Plays
- Tucker Barnhart got the Reds on the board first tonight, with a solo tater in the bottom of the 2nd. It had to be reviewed to see if a fan might’ve interfered, but it was quickly determined that there was not interference. Reds lead, 1-0.
- The Indians wasted no time answering. In the top of the 3rd, Michael Brantley knocked a two out single before his Very Good teammate, Jose Ramirez, deposited a home run into the seats in right field. He’s good, folks! Indians lead, 2-1.
- Scooter Gennett hit a lead off solo dong in the 5th to tie things up at 2-2.
- The wheels went ahead and fell off for the Reds in top of the 6th. Greg Allen singled and stole 2B with one out in the inning. Yandy Diaz then smoked a 109 MPH line drive double off the top of the wall in left center to score Allen and chase Homer Bailey (though not before Francisco Lindor was intentionally walked). Amir Garrett came into pitch and, well, he didn’t have it. Brantley doubled to score Diaz. Ramirez was intentionally walked before Yonder Alonso struck out for the 2nd out. And then Amir got hit and hit hard. Melky Cabrera roped a single that scored two. Jason Kipnis doubled, which scored two more, and then Yan Gomes doubled to score Kipnis. Greg Allen (the guy who started all this) mercifully flied out to end the frame. Indians kick down the door, 9-2.
- Cleveland got another run in the 7th, this time off Wandy Peralta, as Ramirez batted in Lindor. 10-2.
- The Reds didn’t start a rally, but they started a Casali in the bottom of the 8th. He tatered to left center, is what I’m saying. 10-3.
- The Reds lost, dummy! 10-3.
Tony Graphanino
Source: FanGraphs
Other Notes
- I mean this looks like a blow out and you might look at the scoreboard and look at the starting pitcher and think, “gaaahh Homer did it again.” And, well, it is a blowout and Homer wasn’t what you’d call great, but he looked better than his line may otherwise suggest. His final line: 5.1 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. He probably should’ve been done after five innings, but I’ve been pretty vocally against Riggleman pulling guys too early, so I won’t criticize this one. The fifth earned run was actually given up by Garrett, who gave up plenty of his own runs as well.
- This leads me to a different point; Homer was surely not great in this one, but his teammates did him 0 favors. The Reds stranded eight runners through three innings, leaving the bases loaded twice in two straight innings. An error in the bottom of the 4th (on a no doubt DP ground ball) put runners on first and second with nobody out. Homer then balked both runners over (somewhat hilariously), but allowed nothing out of it. It could’ve been a lot worse.
- Brandon Dixon pitched a perfect 9th with some of that good shit in the 60s. Jose Ramirez, 2018’s American League Best Player of the Season (basically the Not Mike Trout Award), whiffed and whiffed hard on a curveball. He lost his damn bat, folks.
- It doesn’t get easier tomorrow, as the Reds will face off against Corey Kluber, his 2.74 ERA, his 2 Cy Young trophies, and his big ass right arm tomorrow night. Sal Romano, who’s been very good of late, will try and keep pace. First pitch is at 7:10 PM EDT.
- Tunes.