Reds at Nats 8/18/2011

[cumberlandreds]

Lineups per Fay. Same as last night except for Hanigan and Arroyo.
Zimmerman,not the 3rd baseman, is scheduled to pitch for the Nats tonight.

Phillips 4, Sappelt 7, Votto 3, Bruce 9, Cairo 5, Stubbs 8, Hanigan 2, Janish 6, Arroyo 1

[Guacarock]

Hanigan collects the first hit of the game, a double, but Janish leaves him stranded at 2B. 0-0 entering the bottom of the second. One consolation: Reds batters working Zimmerman hard. The Nats SP has thrown 40 pitches after 2 IP.

[Guacarock]

Arroyo strikes out Gomes to retire the Nats in the second. Nats do collect their first hit, a single by Espinosa. Still 0-0.

[Guacarock]

Reds threatening with Phillips at 2nd and Votto at 1st after both singled against Zimmerman. The threat ends as Bruce grounds out to the pitcher. Still knotted 0-0.

[Guacarock]

Arroyo surrenders a single to the Nats pitcher Zimmerman but otherwise escapes the third inning unscathed. Still 0-0 with Cairo, Stubbs and Hanigan due up for the Reds.

[Guacarock]

Cairo takes one for the team, reaching 1B after being HBP.

[nate]

"Just wait 'til next year" chat is open!

[Guacarock]

Hanigan collects his second hit of the game, a single, to advance Cairo to 3B.

[Tom Servo]

Janish...

[Guacarock]

Another threat put down when Janish grounds into a DP. On to the Nats with the game tied 0-0 in the fourth.

[Guacarock]

The Nats fail to capitalize after Arroyo gives up his third hit, a single, to the other Zimmerman, the Nats' 3B. Still 0-0 entering the 5th in what's shaping up, improbably, as a a pitchers' duel.

[Guacarock]

Phillips making the leadoff experiment look like a stroke of genius, reaching 1B for the third straight time this game on a single, following an earlier single and walk.

[oneupper]

Gomes with a running catch on a Votto line, crashing into the wall.
The wall appears to be Ok.

[Guacarock]

Same old story. Reds strand Phillips. Gomes up for the Nats in a scoreless game.

[Kc61]

Reds will likely get shut out tonight. This team can't score to save its life.

[Tom Servo]

#34

[Guacarock]

Arroyo now behind 1-0 after handing a tater to Flores.

[oneupper]

Is it just me or are they abusing the hit and run? It's hard enough to hit without forcing the hitter to swing at pitches he may not otherwise.

[Guacarock]

We go into the sixth behind 1-0. Bruce up.

[MikeS21]

Reds will likely get shut out tonight. This team can't score to save its life.
lol! Or it could score 15 runs.

[oneupper]

Brewers lost early, so if the REDS win they pick up a game.
Then they'd only be a gazillion games back, instead of a bazillion.

[Kc61]

lol! Or it could score 15 runs.

Rather doubtful.

Once the Reds could score, but no more. This offense is dead as a doornail.

[Guacarock]

Stubbs works a walk. Zimmerman nearing 100 pitch count.

[Guacarock]

Hanigan's third straight hit sends Stubbs to third. Can Janish get it done this time?

[oneupper]

Nats must continue with only one Zimmerman in the lineup.

[Kc61]

Two on for the Reds. Janish due up. Nats bothering to put in a reliever.

[Tom Servo]

Janish...

[Kc61]

Janish strikes out.

Dusty keeps Janish's glove in the game so the Reds can lose 1-0 with good defense.

[Guacarock]

Janish whiffs. Eight men now left on base by punchless Reds.

[CTA513]

Janish strikes out.

Dusty keeps Janish's glove in the game so the Reds can lose 1-0 with good defense.

Have to keep him in since the Reds only have 1 healthy shortstop

[Kc61]

Have to keep him in since the Reds only have 1 healthy shortstop

Disagree.

Todd Frazier can play shortstop in a pinch. This was a pinch.

When the Nats brought in a righty reliever, the right move was to hit Alonso or Lewis. Reds could have had a lefty/righty advantage in a key spot.

Instead we get a strikeout.

[Guacarock]

Nats threatening after Morse walk and single by Werth. Arroyo at 92 pitches.

[Guacarock]

Espinosa single loads the bases for Jonny Gomes.

[Tom Servo]

sigh


Gomes

[CTA513]

Arroyo gets beat by a scrub to make it 3-0 Nats

[Guacarock]

Gomes drives in two with a single. How long before Arroyo gets the hook? Reds now down 3-0.

[Kc61]

Nats with two on, starting to hit Arroyo pretty solidly. Now bases loaded with Nats on Phillips misplay.

Reds will have a hard time winning this one. Most games, you need to score to win.

I'd like to see Juan Francisco and Devin Mesoraco with the Reds. They would add some excitement.

Gomes up with the bases loaded. Arroyo still out there. No reason to waste a reliever, this game is basically lost.

Gomes with a two run single. Now three zip Nats.

Reds are the B team. Boring and bad.

I think we just sit on our hands next off-season. No urgency.

[Kc61]

What are the Reds chances of scoring four runs this game to win?

(a) Zip
(b) slim and none
(c) none and none
(d) below zero
(e) rather remote.

[Guacarock]

Nats' Rodriguez now in to relieve. Dusty counters with Lewis to pinch hit for Arroyo. Saving Alonso for the do-or-die ninth!

[Kc61]

Dusty lets Janish hit with men on and two out.
Dusty lets Arroyo pitch too long and two more runs score.
Walt sits still in the off-season.
Walt sits still at the deadline.

Your Cincinnati Reds. Passive.

[Guacarock]

Lewis shuns the non-believers -- punching a single off Rodriguez.

[Kc61]

Lewis shuns the non-believers -- punching a single off Rodriguez.

Leaving open the inevitable question - which Red will fail in the clutch this inning?

[Guacarock]

Rodriguez dialing it up against Phillips with wicked 4-seam fastballs approaching 100 MPH.

[Kc61]

Reds with runner on third, with two wild pitches, or passed balls, or whatever.

Perfect opportunity to blow a potential big inning.

[Guacarock]

Flores can't handle the hot stuff. Passed ball. Lewis on to second and scores on Phillips groundout. 3-1.

[Guacarock]

Sappelt goes down swinging, dropping his average to the Mendoza line.

[Tom Servo]

I feel like those of us actually watching this game deserve a medal or award of some sort.

[Guacarock]

Not wanting the rookie Sappelt to feel lonely, Votto also whiffs. Reds outta there for the seventh but not before scoring our first run. Now trailing 3-1.

[Guacarock]

I feel like those of us actually watching this game deserve a medal or award of some sort.

I'll take mine Zirconium-encrusted.

[TeamBoone]

I've been away for a few weeks... keeping track of scores but not players. This past week at home, I notice that Chris Heisey has not played at all. Is he on the DL or something? If not, why is he not playing?

[Guacarock]

Laynce now up to dance the pas de deux with Arredondo.

[Kc61]

I've been away for a few weeks... keeping track of scores but not players. This past week at home, I notice that Chris Heisey has not played at all. Is he on the DL or something? If not, why is he not playing?

Heisey's on the DL. Sappelt has replaced him and is, well, struggling a bit.

[Guacarock]

I've been away for a few weeks... keeping track of scores but not players. This past week at home, I notice that Chris Heisey has not played at all. Is he on the DL or something? If not, why is he not playing?

On the DL.

[Guacarock]

Arredondo cuts short his waltz with Laynce, transforming it into a leadoff walk.

[Guacarock]

Desmond sac bunts Laynce to second.

[Guacarock]

Exit stage left for Arredondo after facing two batters. Bray to square off against Ankiel.

[Kc61]

I wish I could have a few words with Dusty tonight.

I would ask him why he managed so passively. Refused to pinch hit in key spot. Left Arroyo out there when he obviously was losing it.

But now, with the Reds behind, he suddenly has a quick hook by pulling Arredondo early and bringing in Bray.

The time to manage aggressively is BEFORE you fall behind in the late innings. BEFORE the game is likely lost.

[Guacarock]

Bray walks Ankiel. Two on, Ryan Zimmerman up.

[Guacarock]

Bray gets hook. Masset to meet Zimmerman.

[klw]

Reds 2 for 22 with RISP this series.

[Guacarock]

Masset meets Zimmerman and greets him with free pass. Bases juiced for Morse.

[Tom Servo]

ugly yesiree

[Guacarock]

Morse double-play squelches the Nats' threat. Still 3-1 with two innings left for us to close the gap.

[Guacarock]

Bruce, Cairo and Stubbs get to tango with Clippard.

[Guacarock]

Reds 2 for 22 with RISP this series.

I knew the execution was bad, but didn't realize how bad.

[Kc61]

Bruce ks on three pitches. That helps.

i sense a wasted inning for Chapman coming up.

[Kc61]

Cairo pops up. Stubbs Ks.

I typed that last one before it actually happened.

[Guacarock]

Reds go down quietly 1-2-3.

[HokieRed]

When you see what the makings of a really good bullpen looks like, it gives you a further sense that our FO has been sleeping too much.

[Guacarock]

Werth tags Masset for a single.

[Tom Servo]

Every day the Nats are shufflin.

[Guacarock]

Masset shuts down the pesky Nats. We've down to our skivvies -- last call to overcome Washington's 3-1 lead. The tail of our order due up -- Hanigan, Janish, Pitcher.

[Guacarock]

Hanigan, 3-3 on the night, now tries to extend his hitting streak against Nats' closer Storen.

[Kc61]

Masset shuts down the pesky Nats. We've down to our skivvies -- last call to overcome Washington's 3-1 lead. The tail of our order due up -- Hanigan, Janish, Pitcher.

Wonder if Dusty will let Janish hit. After all, we may need defense in hypothetical extra innings.

[Tom Servo]

Banner night for Hanigan. 4-4.

[Guacarock]

Hanigan goes 4 for 4 -- with a single. He's putting on a clinic tonight.

[Guacarock]

Alonso hitting for Janish. And whiffs.

[CTA513]

Janish could of done that

[Kc61]

Alonso called out on a pitch outside.

[OesterPoster]

Has this guy's strike zone been this huge the entire night?

[Guacarock]

Hernandez designated hero to pinch hit for Masset. But Storen hurls his thunderbolts and Hernandez gets skunked instead.

[Tom Servo]

Janish could of done that
Then Janish would have actually gotten my sympathy for a lousy strikezone.

[Tom Servo]

of course the converted shortstop makes that great outfield catch, why wouldn't he?

[Blitz Dorsey]

George Grande would never say something like "He definitely didn't need to dive for that ball" even when it's obvious.

Instead, he'll say something like "What a great catch!"

No, George, any MLB OF would have made that play.

[OesterPoster]

of course the converted shortstop makes that great outfield catch, why wouldn't he?

Because the year is 2011 and not 2010. :D

[Guacarock]

Up to Phillips, who, along with Hanigan, has collected most of the Reds hits tonight.

[Blitz Dorsey]

It's funny how an OF catching a ball while not standing up is such a sideshow for some people. Most of the time, those guys didn't even need to dive/slide/whatever. Sappelt did it earlier in the game. Kind of "dove" for a ball he would have caught standing up no prob.

[Tom Servo]

Grande quoting Jerry Narron, always a good sign.

[Guacarock]

Phillips keeps it alive with a single.

[Tom Servo]

This strike zone is baffling to me.

[Guacarock]

No dice.

[Tom Servo]

Reds lose another series.

[OesterPoster]

I still haven't seen anything from Sappelt which excites me.

[Kc61]

Sappelt swings at ball three, pops up, and the Reds lose.

Sappelt needs to go back to AAA. Or maybe AAAA.

[Guacarock]

I still haven't seen anything from Sappelt which excites me.

He's been the least productive of the rookie callups so far but getting the most playing time. Go figure.

[Ron Madden]

The box score.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_08_18_cinmlb_wasmlb_1&mode=box&c_id=cin

[traderumor]

Sappelt is trying too hard at the plate--classic pressing trying to impress--from what I see. Hopefully someone can get through to him to relax. I've seen good defense.

Last night, another unlucky night. Two good catches in LF make a big difference on two well hit balls that could have just as likely fell and provided the winning runs.