Christian Colon provides late game winning single, propelling Reds over Mets

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Anthony DeSclafani went out and had himself another day, and made some history doing it. His final line, 6 IP, 3 hits, 2 run, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 7 strikeout is, basically, what we’ve come to expect from DeSclafani in the latter part of this season. In his last seven starts, Disco’s danced to a 2.05 ERA.

It’s DeSclafani’s fifth straight start going at least six innings pitched while allowing less than or equal to three hits, which puts him in some pretty elite company as far as streaks go.

Those are results.

2020 is a big season for DeSclafani, as it’ll be his final year of arbitration with the Reds. 2019 has already been a big season for the righty, as it’s the first full season in seemingly forever that he’s stayed completely healthy throughout.

If this is the type of pitching we can expect from him for next season, well, buckle up.

Honorable mention to Phil Ervin, for being the only Red to collect more than one hit. Christian Colon, for hitting the game winning RBI in the 8th, and the collective efforts of the Reds bullpen, who were down some heavy hitters today due to a bug that’s spreading through the clubhouse. Lucas Sims, Amir Garrett, Joel Kuhnel and Raisel Iglesias combined to throw three innings of perfect baseball. Kuhnel earned his first big league win!

Key Plays

• The Reds wasted no time dinting home plate in this one. Phil Ervin led off the Reds first inning with a single, followed by a Joey Votto walk. Eugenio Suarez grounded into a fielder’s choice, except the fielder (Todd Frazier) chose nobody, as the ball took an odd hop on him, Nobody out. Aristides Aquino also sent a grounder Frazier’s way, which he thought was a foul ball and was slow to throw to first, allowing Aquino to reach and a run to score. Tucker Barnhart struck out, but Jose Iglesias looped a soft single into shallow center to score Votto. Brian O’Grady and Derek Dietrich were retired to end the inning. Reds score two, leave three stranded, lead 2-0.
• The Mets got on the board in the top of the 3rd inning. Todd Frazier got things started with a single to center, then Amed Rosario laced a double to the center field wall (which Brian O’Grady crashed off of and just about knocked himself out). Zack Wheeler batted in Frazier with a ground out for the first out of the inning, but Disco managed to dance out of trouble thereafter. Reds lead, 2-1.
• Disco had to work around some more issues in the 5th. He walked Michael Conforto to open the frame before allowing another single to Frazier. Rosario flew out, but advanced Conforto to 3B. Wheeler hit a sacrifice bunt, but after fielding and looking back the runner from third, Votto delivered a poorly thrown ball to Derek Dietrich covering first, and he could not handle it. Everybody was safe. Disco then plunked Brandon Nimmo, scoring Conforto. However, DeSclafani was able to wiggle out of the jam again, allowing only one Met to score. Tie ball game, 2-2.
• The Reds retook the lead in the 8th. Jose Iglesias worked a one-out walk before Jose Peraza singled to put two aboard. Curt Casali then struck out before Christian Colon laced a single into the center field to score Iglesias. The throw went into 3B to try and get Peraza and got away from Frazier, but he was able to recover and throw out Peraza trying to take home. Reds up one with one to play...
• And that was that. Raisel Iglesias shut it down for the save. Reds win, 3-2.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Everyone on the Reds is ill right now, and it’s gotten so bad that several players were actually sent home from the ballpark today to try and get better. Thank goodness for expanded rosters, I suppose.
• Brian O’Grady later had to be lifted after bouncing his face off the wall in center field.
• The Mets and the Reds own the two best first inning offenses in baseball, which is significant, because Anthony DeSclafani shut the Mets down in five pitches in the first while the Reds scored two.
• There was a whole horde of Mets fans in the lower section of GABP, down the third base side. They explained who they were on the broadcast, but I wasn’t really paying attention. Just... kinda strange, really. It’s the Mets, people.
• The Reds and the Mets will wrap this series tomorrow, a typical Sunday day game scheduled for 1:10 PM EDT. Trevor Bauer will take the mound for the Reds. He’ll be opposed by Marcus Stroman.
• Tunes.