Sonny shines in Battle of Grays, but Rockies hit two late home runs to win 3-2

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Sonny Gray was terrific again tonight. This was his first career start in Coors Field, a place that is notoriously brutal on pitchers. Sonny was completely unphased by the task and delivered what would probably be his best start of the season, if it weren’t for the one immediately preceding this one.

Sonny went seven innings in this one, allowing only one run across five hits (and dodging some errors), with three walks and nine more strikeouts. That’s 15 innings pitched for Gray over his last two starts spanning the All Star break, where he’s allowed only one run and struck out 21. Sonny Gray is, officially, all the way dialed in.

Honorable mention to Eugenio Suarez, who socked a dong. Jose Iglesias hit twice, as did Curt Casali, who also scored a run.

Key Plays

• It took awhile, but the Reds finally did the first scoring of the game in the top of the 6th inning. Sonny Gray grounded out to begin the inning before Curt Casali broke an 0-14 streak by singling into right center field. Jesse Winker then poked a lined grounder down the left field line that ended up bouncing around in the corner and getting away from Rox LF David Dahl. Casali scored on the Winker triple. The inning ended on a strikeout/throw out between Joey Votto and Jesse Winker. Reds lead, 1-0.
• In the bottom of the frame, David Dahl drew a one out walk before a Nolan Arenado single. With runners on first and second, Daniel Murphy laced a double down the left field line that scored Dahl to tie the game. Ian Desmond then also drew a walk, before Gray was able to induce an inning ending double play from Ryan McMahon. Rockies tie it, 1-1.
• In the top of the 7th, Eugenio Suarez mashed a lead off tater to the opposite field to put the Reds up 1, 2-1.
• In the bottom of the 8th, David Dahl crushed a David Hernandez offering into the upper deck, the first David on David crime of the evening after a lot of Gray vs. Gray battling. Arenado lined out for the second out of the inning, but Daniel Murphy launched his own dinger off Hernandez. Rockies take the lead, 3-2.
• And that was that. Reds give one away, lose 3-2.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• You may have noted that Scooter Gennett was pegged to start this game at second base, but he did not. He was scratched, though it’s not the groin(s). He’s dealing with a bit of an illness.
• It was a tough night at the office for Jesse Winker. He dropped a routine fly ball to left off the bat of Nolan Arenado that Sonny Gray had to pitch around. Then, after tripling (which was aided by the left field wall), he was picked off after Votto’s strikeout in the 6th. He dove back and got his hand in initially, and then took it off for some reason (?), which allowed Arenado to put the tag on him.
• Find someone who trusts you as irrationally as David Bell trusts David Hernandez.
• The Reds and Rox will run it back tomorrow night in the Land of Wick, with an 8:10 PM EDT start time. Tanner Roark will make the start of the Reds, while the Rockies will turn to Kyle Freeland, who is trying to turn his season around after spending the last month-plus in the minor leagues (though his 8.80 ERA in Albuquerque is eyeballs emoji).
• Tunes.