5/10/06 - Reds vs Nationals - Game Thread

[TeamBoone]

Hey, Big Klu. Tonight's TV trivia question was... who's hit the most HRs in Ohio? And the answer was Frank Robinson.

Now, I don't know if they literally meant the HRs were actually hit in Ohio (which wouldn't make much sense to me) or if they meant by an Ohio player (which is how I interpreted the question).

If it was the latter, then the answer is clearly Johnny Bench... right?

Anyway, if the first interpretation of the question is in fact correct, would the answer of Robinson be correct?

You're list came into my head at the time and I was surprised when they said his name.

[KronoRed]

Now, I don't know if they literally meant the HRs were actually hit in Ohio (which wouldn't make much sense to me) or if they meant by an Ohio player (which is how I interpreted the question).

It was IN the state of Ohio.

[Big Klu]

It was IN the state of Ohio.

Yes, it was most HRs hit while physically IN the state of Ohio. Frank Robinson is the correct answer.

[Sea Ray]

good offensive nite bullpen only gave up 2 runs struggled at times but a w's a w and were still in first all that counts

I think Jerry Narron has done a good job managing this team but last night was not one of his better efforts. I think things would have been completely different if he'd left Coffey in with 2 out in the 8th. He was throwing well. They weren't getting good swings against him. I can't see him giving up two more hits there like Mercker and Weathers did. My guess is he'd have survived the 8th with the Reds still leading and Weathers could have pitched his customary 9th inning. Instead Narron brings in a guy with lesser stuff than Coffey (Mercker) and Weathers has to come in with runners on in the 8th. I bet the Nats were cheering the move to take Coffey out.

[TeamBoone]

Yes, it was most HRs hit while physically IN the state of Ohio. Frank Robinson is the correct answer.

Thanks. It's now crystal clear!!

And, for your reading enjoyment, here's Marc's write-up of the game:


05-11-2006

Welcome back, offense
Slumbering bats wake up at last in win over Nationals
By Marc Lancaster / Post staff reporter

With a sliding Ryan Freel heading into second base, Nationals shortstop Royce Clayton had to go airborne with an off-the-mark throw from catcher Brian Schneider.

The Reds needed more runs, so they got more runs.

Sometimes, it seems just that simple. It didn't happen on the road trip to Colorado and Arizona, nor in Tuesday's series opener against the Nationals, but it had to come back eventually.

Three times Wednesday night, the Reds watched as Washington either tied the game or took the lead, and each time their bats responded. It was a group effort, with Felipe Lopez providing the speed and Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns and Scott Hatteberg the heavy hitting, but that's how the Reds do it when they're going well.

The path to Wednesday's 9-6 victory over the Nationals was a welcome reminder of the damage the Reds can do when their offense is churning as designed.

"We've been scuffling as a team, so that's the biggest thing," said the streaking Kearns, who went 4-for-4 with a walk. "We've got to find a way to get some wins and we've been struggling a little bit with the bats. It was nice tonight, we picked up our pitching. They've been doing it for us all year, and it was time we needed to pick them up."

The pitching effort wasn't ideal, as Aaron Harang got knocked around early by the Nick Johnson (two doubles and a home run) and others throughout the Nationals' lineup. Still, the right-hander left the game in position to pick up his sixth win of the season, holding a 5-4 lead through six innings.

That edge came mostly from Dunn and Kearns, who drove in two runs apiece. Dunn's came in typical fashion, on a 454-foot blast off Livan Hernandez in the bottom of the first that quickly erased a 2-0 deficit. Kearns would follow with a single and come around to score on a full-count, two-out single by Brandon Phillips, giving the Reds their first lead.

Kearns brought home the next two Reds runs, singling to drive in Lopez in the second and fourth innings after the shortstop reached base, then ran his way into scoring position. Lopez stole four bases - one each in the first, second, fourth and sixth - to set a career high and match his season total of 15 from last year.

"The big thing is getting somebody on base at the top of the order," said manager Jerry Narron. "When we do that, we have a chance to score a lot of runs."

The Reds thought they had enough when pinch-hitter Ray Olmedo singled in Phillips in the seventh, providing a 6-4 cushion for the bullpen, but the heretofore solid bullpen trio of Todd Coffey, Kent Mercker and David Weathers gave two runs back in the eighth.

No problem, said the Reds' hitters, whom Hatteberg described as "very resilient."

"We'd go out and get a lead, they'd bounce back, they'd take the lead," he said. "It can really demoralize a team, but not this team."

To wit, the Reds opened the eighth against veteran lefty Mike Stanton with a walk by Dunn and a double by Kearns. The Nationals intentionally walked Chris Denorfia to get a lefty-lefty matchup between Stanton and Hatteberg, who has lagged behind his teammates in run production.

Playing in his 28th game of the season, Hatteberg had driven in only six runs to that point, but it was his turn to pick everybody else up. He drove a breaking ball past Mar- lon Byrd to the wall in right-center for a double, bringing home Dunn and Kearns.

"He hasn't driven in as many runs as a lot of people would have liked, but we know over the course of the year he's going to do that," said Narron. "I feel comfortable with Hatte every time he comes up to bat, to be honest with you."

A sacrifice fly by Phillips would score Denorfia with one last insurance run, and Weathers closed matters out in the ninth to balance out his blown save with a win.

The suspense lasted longer than the Reds would have liked, but the delay in closing it out only served as a further confidence booster for some slumping hitters.

"I think we all thought we were safe when Olmedo got that hit and knocked in the run, that was a big hit," said Kearns. "But it was like that all night. They jumped up, then Dunner got a big hit. They tied it again, and then Hatte got a big hit. Maybe it's one of those games to get us jump-started with the bats."

Hatteberg, still new to the Reds' high-powered ways, seemed bemused by the declaration of a team-wide slump in a week's time. He did, however, acknowledge that Wednesday night is the way the Reds' line- up looks when it's at its best.

"We can have a game or two where we don't score runs and people question what's going on," said Hatteberg. "I mean, it takes a couple weeks on other teams I've been on before they ask that. We are spoiled. This team can break out at any time, and I think we showed that today."

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060511/SPT05/605110320/1027