Mike Moustakas returns, powers Cincinnati Reds past Pirates, 10-0

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

The Cincinnati Reds had been waiting patiently for the return of Mike Moustakas to their lineup, and that finally, mercifully materialized on Friday. Moose had been hampered by a sore heel/foot for the better part of three months, but jumped right into the Reds lineup and immediately began to show why he was signed to a record free agent contract in the first place.

He socked a trio of doubles, scored twice, dove head-first on a slide home for one of those, bonked a pair of ribbies, and rewarded manager David Bell’s decision to put him in as the starting 3B in lieu of the struggling Eugenio Suarez.

Welcome back, Moose. Welcome the heck back.

Honorable Mentions are due to: Tucker Barnhart, who swatted a 3-run dinger; Jesse Winker, who homered, doubled, walked twice, and scored twice; Kyle Farmer, who helped matriculate a trio of runs across the plate with another 2-hit night; Jonathan India, who socked another dinger; and Wade Miley, who’s just cool as all hell, man.

Key Plays

• It was ten to zero bruh. That’s more keys than a piano, bruh.
• Reds won, 10-0.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Here’s a link to the actual Tony Graphanino, for you folks who find those sorts of things via Red Reporter dot com Recaps [TM].
• Wade Miley was up against the Pittsburgh Pirates in this one, but still...7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K on an even 100 pitches is righteous, man. That bWAR is gonna keep going up and up and up and the Reds hold a juicy team option on him for next year. Giggity.
• It’ll be a Saturday evening affair between these clubs tomorrow. Mitch Keller and his 7.05 ERA will square off against Vladdy Gutierrez, with first pitch in GABP set for 7:10 PM ET.
• Tunes.