Buster Posey bases-loaded smash wins game, series for Giants over Reds in GABP

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Kevin Gausman kept his opponents completely off-kilter in his start tonight in GABP.

The righty dialed up his fastball to 97 mph and mixed it in perfectly with his world-class splitter, in the process yielding just a lone hit in 6.0 scoreless innings pitched. He struck out 8, walked just 2, and never really looked threatened at all during his 94 pitch outing.

Unfortunately, he’s not on the Cincinnati Reds anymore, and instead was inflicting said pain on them instead. That powered the San Francisco Giants to a 4-0 win, and a series victory.

Key Plays

• Mike Tauchman made a jumping catch into the wall in LF in the Bottom of the 4th that robbed Eugenio Suarez of both an extra-base hit and a likely RBI (since Nick Castellanos was on 1B at the time). As the baseball gods so often do, they put Tauchman into an immediate spot to follow up with harm at the plate, which he did with an RBI single to plate Mauricio Dubon in the Top of the 5th (after Dubon had led off with a double off Wade Miley). That eventually led to David Bell turning to Lucas Sims early, but that fortunately paid off as the Reds exited the inning trailing just 1-0.
• Carson Fulmer loaded the bases in the Top of the 9th while Tejay Antone sat warm in the bullpen. Buster Posey promptly unloaded them with a 3-run double off Fulmer while Antone sat warm in the bullpen. Phew, never could have seen that coming. Reds lost, 4-0.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• These Reds either a) aren’t a good baseball team, b) aren’t playing very good baseball right now, or c) both. Conceding b) is undeniable, but a) and c) are increasingly looking like they’re distinct possibilities at the moment. Please get healthy soon, Joey, Mike, & Nick.
• At least the pitching was mostly good, for awhile. Wade Miley was pulled early due to some situational strategy, having yielded 6 hits but just a lone run in his 4.2 IP. Lucas Sims (1.1 IP, 3 K) and Michael Feliz (1.1 IP, 3 K) also were particularly impressive.
• It’ll be a matinee series finale for the Reds and Giants on Thursday. First pitch is set for 12:35 PM tomorrow, and will feature old friend Johnny Cueto on the bump for San Francisco. He’ll be opposed by Tyler Mahle in what should be a damn enjoyable matchup to enjoy, enjoyably.
• Tunes.