TeamBoone
06-10-2006, 03:03 AM
Pretty good description of all the flubs, but I was disappointed that nothing was said about Lopez caught stealing with 1 out and a man on third with Griffey at the plate. That one really got me.
06/10/2006
Eight-game win streak snapped
Ninth-inning rally falls short as Reds lose to Cubs
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
CINCINNATI -- A mistake-filled game against Greg Maddux and the Cubs last week provided the rallying point for the Reds' eight-game winning streak.
And it was more mistakes against Maddux and the Cubs on Friday that ultimately ended said streak in a 6-5 loss at Great American Ball Park.
Unlike the May 30 loss at Wrigley, one that manager Jerry Narron frequently has called "embarrassing," Cincinnati did not fade quietly, and nearly pulled off a ninth-inning comeback.
If only there hadn't been one faux pas too many.
"It should never have got to that point," right fielder Austin Kearns said. "We kind of shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times."
Kearns was involved in a costly three-run Chicago seventh for the Reds' defense. He had trouble finding Aramis Ramirez's two-out fly ball in the twilight sky, and then slipped and fell as the ball dropped in behind him. The play was ruled a two-run double.
Favoring his left leg, Kearns was looked over by the trainer. He remained but was lifted for a pinch-runner after he singled in the bottom of the seventh. He was diagnosed with a mild hamstring strain.
"I didn't see [the ball] and then I finally did see it," Kearns said. "I just thought, 'I need to go a step back to catch it.' I went to step [back] and I just got laid out, I don't know. It just cramped up. ... I can play. I just needed some time to stretch it out. It'll be fine."
The Reds could have been out of the inning before Ramirez came up. Two batters earlier, Juan Pierre hit into what could have been an inning-ending double play to second base, but shortstop Felipe Lopez's throw to first base was off line and pulled Scott Hatteberg off the bag.
"It would have taken us right out of that inning. That was a big play," said bench coach Bucky Dent, who managed with Narron away for his daughter's graduation. "That was the whole key, I thought, missing the double play."
A scoring chance was also missed in the Reds' sixth after pinch-hitter Ray Olmedo hit a leadoff double. Lopez followed with a single to right field but was held at third base by coach Mark Berry as Jacque Jones' throw came home. Brandon Phillips flied to right field but Olmedo was instructed to hold.
Lopez was caught stealing. Ken Griffey Jr. walked but the inning ended without any runs scoring.
"With Griff coming up, [Berry] didn't want to take a chance with nobody out if [Jones] makes a good throw," Dent said. "We'd rather have first and third and one out than man on first, two outs. I thought it was a good decision."
Except for Adam Dunn's second-inning homer and a long ball by Hatteberg in the fifth, both solo shots, the Reds didn't do much against Maddux (7-5). The right-hander, who has struggled lately, worked 5 1/3 innings for his second win over his last eight starts -- both were against Cincinnati.
Reds starter Elizardo Ramirez (2-5) gave up three earned runs and six hits over six innings.
All of the Reds' shortcomings in the game would have been erased in the bottom of the ninth had they not come up ... well, short.
Leading off, Dunn drew the first of three walks against Cubs closer Ryan Dempster. Pinch-hitter David Ross lined a single up the middle. Javier Valentin worked a 10-pitch walk, including five straight foul balls, and ran the bases full with no outs.
As the roar of the sellout crowd of 41,064 fans added to the drama, Ryan Freel walked on nine pitches that forced home a run. After the club made wins look almost routine the past several games, another victory seemed imminent.
"The way we've been playing, everybody knew we were going to win," Phillips said. "When Freel got on base, I said, 'Oh, it's over.'"
It would be soon, but not favorably for Cincinnati. Lopez ran a full count but was called out on strikes. Phillips sharply lined out to third base.
"One more inch and we win the ballgame," Dent said of Phillips' out to Ramirez.
Griffey grounded out to second base and it was game over, winning streak over.
Also over was the Reds' brief time alone on top of the National League Central standings. A Cardinals win put Cincinnati back into second place by a half-game.
"Look at all the mistakes that we had, maybe we shouldn't have been in that situation," said Freel, who replaced Kearns in right field. "You can't win them all. We've been playing well. We had one of those days that got away. We didn't capitalize on situations and got a loss out of it. That's what happens."
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497098&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
06/10/2006
Eight-game win streak snapped
Ninth-inning rally falls short as Reds lose to Cubs
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
CINCINNATI -- A mistake-filled game against Greg Maddux and the Cubs last week provided the rallying point for the Reds' eight-game winning streak.
And it was more mistakes against Maddux and the Cubs on Friday that ultimately ended said streak in a 6-5 loss at Great American Ball Park.
Unlike the May 30 loss at Wrigley, one that manager Jerry Narron frequently has called "embarrassing," Cincinnati did not fade quietly, and nearly pulled off a ninth-inning comeback.
If only there hadn't been one faux pas too many.
"It should never have got to that point," right fielder Austin Kearns said. "We kind of shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times."
Kearns was involved in a costly three-run Chicago seventh for the Reds' defense. He had trouble finding Aramis Ramirez's two-out fly ball in the twilight sky, and then slipped and fell as the ball dropped in behind him. The play was ruled a two-run double.
Favoring his left leg, Kearns was looked over by the trainer. He remained but was lifted for a pinch-runner after he singled in the bottom of the seventh. He was diagnosed with a mild hamstring strain.
"I didn't see [the ball] and then I finally did see it," Kearns said. "I just thought, 'I need to go a step back to catch it.' I went to step [back] and I just got laid out, I don't know. It just cramped up. ... I can play. I just needed some time to stretch it out. It'll be fine."
The Reds could have been out of the inning before Ramirez came up. Two batters earlier, Juan Pierre hit into what could have been an inning-ending double play to second base, but shortstop Felipe Lopez's throw to first base was off line and pulled Scott Hatteberg off the bag.
"It would have taken us right out of that inning. That was a big play," said bench coach Bucky Dent, who managed with Narron away for his daughter's graduation. "That was the whole key, I thought, missing the double play."
A scoring chance was also missed in the Reds' sixth after pinch-hitter Ray Olmedo hit a leadoff double. Lopez followed with a single to right field but was held at third base by coach Mark Berry as Jacque Jones' throw came home. Brandon Phillips flied to right field but Olmedo was instructed to hold.
Lopez was caught stealing. Ken Griffey Jr. walked but the inning ended without any runs scoring.
"With Griff coming up, [Berry] didn't want to take a chance with nobody out if [Jones] makes a good throw," Dent said. "We'd rather have first and third and one out than man on first, two outs. I thought it was a good decision."
Except for Adam Dunn's second-inning homer and a long ball by Hatteberg in the fifth, both solo shots, the Reds didn't do much against Maddux (7-5). The right-hander, who has struggled lately, worked 5 1/3 innings for his second win over his last eight starts -- both were against Cincinnati.
Reds starter Elizardo Ramirez (2-5) gave up three earned runs and six hits over six innings.
All of the Reds' shortcomings in the game would have been erased in the bottom of the ninth had they not come up ... well, short.
Leading off, Dunn drew the first of three walks against Cubs closer Ryan Dempster. Pinch-hitter David Ross lined a single up the middle. Javier Valentin worked a 10-pitch walk, including five straight foul balls, and ran the bases full with no outs.
As the roar of the sellout crowd of 41,064 fans added to the drama, Ryan Freel walked on nine pitches that forced home a run. After the club made wins look almost routine the past several games, another victory seemed imminent.
"The way we've been playing, everybody knew we were going to win," Phillips said. "When Freel got on base, I said, 'Oh, it's over.'"
It would be soon, but not favorably for Cincinnati. Lopez ran a full count but was called out on strikes. Phillips sharply lined out to third base.
"One more inch and we win the ballgame," Dent said of Phillips' out to Ramirez.
Griffey grounded out to second base and it was game over, winning streak over.
Also over was the Reds' brief time alone on top of the National League Central standings. A Cardinals win put Cincinnati back into second place by a half-game.
"Look at all the mistakes that we had, maybe we shouldn't have been in that situation," said Freel, who replaced Kearns in right field. "You can't win them all. We've been playing well. We had one of those days that got away. We didn't capitalize on situations and got a loss out of it. That's what happens."
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497098&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin