Reds @ Pirates 8.21.11

[klw]

Phillips 4,
Lewis 7,
Votto 3,
Bruce 9,
Frazier 5,
Stubbs 8,
Hanigan 2,
Janish 6,
Leake RHP

v James McDonald, RHP
8-6, 4.20 ERA

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_08_21_cinmlb_pitmlb_1&mode=gameday

McDonald worked 5 2/3 innings to notch his eighth win of the season on Monday against the Cardinals. The win moved him to 4-1 at home, though pitching deeper remains on his to-do list. McDonald has finished six innings in just 13 of his 24 starts.


McDonald, who moved to 4-1 at home with a win Monday against the Cardinals, has faced the Reds three times this season, going 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA.


• In four games from the leadoff spot through Saturday, Brandon Phillips is 10-for-18, his three singles Saturday coming on the heels of Friday's 3-for-5 performance that included four RBIs, including a three-run home run.

"When I was hitting fourth, my No. 1 goal was to drive guys in. I wasn't worried about my average or anything -- just RBIs," Phillips said. "I'm glad they're giving me a chance to get something going for the team."

[oneupper]

Good to see Frazier in there.

[Matt700wlw]

Rain delay based on anticipation of rain...... and now the game will start at 2:15, which means this was a complete waste of everybody's time.

[Guacarock]

We've got game. Phillips on second after drawing a walk and advancing on a Fred Lewis groundout. Votto K's. Bruce in the batter's box. Phillips steals third.

[Guacarock]

Bruce works a walk after fouling off five pitches in a row. Good AB. Left stranded, though, when Frazier whiffs. Pirates on tap.

[Guacarock]

Leake yields leadoff single to Tabata. Jones pops up.

[Guacarock]

McCutchen homers. 2-0 Pirates. Leake having trouble finding the strike zone. Maybe the rain delay.

[Kc61]

Bruce works a walk after fouling off five pitches in a row. Good AB. Left stranded, though, when Frazier whiffs. Pirates on tap.

Dusty commented that he's not worried about Leake's innings piling up this year. Said Leake is in good shape and is getting stronger.

Recent results say otherwise. Reds should back off Leake soon.

[Guacarock]

Leake escapes any more damage, inducing a groundout from Doumit and striking out Walker. 2-0 Pirates as we head to the second.

[Guacarock]

Dusty commented that he's not worried about Leake's innings piling up this year. Said Leake is in good shape and is getting stronger.

Recent results say otherwise. Reds should back off Leake soon.

At the least Leake needs to be monitored closely moving forward. This is about the time he turned into a pumpkin his rookie year.

[Kc61]

Bruce works a walk after fouling off five pitches in a row. Good AB. Left stranded, though, when Frazier whiffs. Pirates on tap.

Frazier hitting fifth against a tough right-hander may not be optimal.

Stubbs hit by pitch.

[Guacarock]

Stubbs hit by pitch. Both pitchers having control issues.

[Kc61]

At the least Leake needs to be monitored closely moving forward. This is about the time he turned into a pumpkin his rookie year.

If I recall correctly, he had soreness late in his last year of college too. Leake is valuable, Reds should increase his innings gradually.

[Guacarock]

Hanigan grounds into DP. Janish up. And then goes down swinging. Nothing doing for the Reds in the second. Still 2-0 Pirates.

[Kc61]

Double play, strikeout, Reds are done in the second.

[Guacarock]

Ludwick with a leadoff double. Wood whiffs.

[Guacarock]

Cedeno flies out to left. Two down.

[Guacarock]

Pitcher McDonald strikes out. Reds enter the third still down 2-0. Leake approaching 40-pitch count. Not too economical today.

[Guacarock]

Leake helps his own cause with a single to left. It's the first Reds' hit of the day.

[Guacarock]

Phillips ground into a double play. And Lewis whiffs. Pirates up in the bottom of the third.

[Guacarock]

Tabata lines out. Same with Jones. Now here comes McCutchen.

[Guacarock]

And McCutchen flies out also. Fast 1-2-3 inning for Leake.

[Guacarock]

Votto pops up. And Bruce flies out. 2 quickly down for McDonald.

[Guacarock]

And the Frazier flies out. Reds go down 1-2-3 in the fourth. On to the Bucs.

[Guacarock]

Doumit flies out to center. Seven straight aerial outs for the two squads. Make that eight as Walker flies out.

[Screwball]

Leake's been hit pretty hard this game. Rather fortunate to have only given up 3 hits and 2 runs.

[Guacarock]

Ludwick breaks the monotony with a groundout. Reds up in the fifth. Stubbs, Hanigan, Janish.

[Guacarock]

Stubbs resumes the pattern with a fly to right. Ditto Hanigan to left. And Janish to center.

[Guacarock]

Pirates up in the fifth leading 2-0. Reds hitless except for Leake's single.

[Screwball]

I'm pretty sure Wood takes a broom handle with him to the plate.

[Guacarock]

Wood K's. Cedeno grounds to short. McDonald K's. Pirates go down 1-2-3.

[Guacarock]

Time for some offense, and we've got the right guy leading off, Mike Leake, the only Red to punch out a hit today.

[Guacarock]

Nope, Leake K's.

[Guacarock]

Phillips continues his torrid hitting with a double.

[Screwball]

Phillips continues his torrid hitting with a double.

Thought for a second that was gonna be a triple.

[Guacarock]

Thought for a second that was gonna be a triple.

Phillips wanted to hold back so he could steal third a second time today.

[Guacarock]

Lewis draws a walk. McDonald suddenly looking more vulnerable.

[Ron Madden]

Three run Jack!!!

[Guacarock]

Votto connects, we've got liftoff.

[Screwball]

Votto's on a wicked hot streak. Wish he was more consistent...

:evil:

[Guacarock]

Home run. 3-2 Reds!

[Big Klu]

Updated Reds HR list (players in italics are active):

Reds 100-Home Run Club
1. Johnny Bench - 389
2. Frank Robinson - 324
3. Tony Perez - 287
4. Adam Dunn - 270
5. Ted Kluszewski - 251
6. George Foster - 244
7. Ken Griffey, Jr. - 210
8. Eric Davis - 203
9. Barry Larkin - 198
10. Vada Pinson - 186
11. Wally Post - 172
12. Gus Bell - 160
13. Joe Morgan - 152
13. Pete Rose - 152
15. Lee May - 147
16. Dan Driessen - 133
17. Reggie Sanders - 125
18. Ernie Lombardi - 120
19. Sean Casey - 118
19. Brandon Phillips - 118
21. Joey Votto - 112
22. Frank McCormick - 110
23. Dave Parker - 107
24. Chris Sabo - 104
25. Dave Concepcion - 101

[Guacarock]

Bottom of the sixth. Pirates out for revenge. Tabata triples.

[Kc61]

Bucs get a triple. Should have been a double but Bruce didn't play it well.

[Guacarock]

Home run by Jones. 4-3 Bucs.

[Guacarock]

McCutchen grounds to Leake. One down. Doumit follows. Two down.

[Big Klu]

Home run by Jones. 4-3 Bucs.

I still haven't figured out how he hit that ball.

[Guacarock]

Leake walks Walker.

[Gallen5862]

Thanks for the pbp.

[Guacarock]

But gets Ludwick on a grounder to escape further damage. 4-3 Pirates on to the seventh.

[Ron Madden]

There have been some very hard hit balls off of Leake today.

[Guacarock]

Grilli in to pitch relief for the Pirates. And he quickly strikes out Stubbs.

[Guacarock]

Hanigan is still hot. Singles. But a rain delay ensues...

[Matt700wlw]

I wonder if they'd like those 41 minutes back now?

[Guacarock]

Meanwhile, the Brewers look to pad their division lead, now 6-2 against the Mets in the ninth.

[Guacarock]

Brewers nail it 6-2.

[Matt700wlw]

Tarp off the field already...

[Matt700wlw]

PNC Park should be required to put a retractable roof on their stadium. It's always a weather adventure there.

[Guacarock]

Game on. Janish facing Grilli.

[Guacarock]

Janish collared.

[Guacarock]

Yonder sighting -- pinch hitting for Leake.

[Tony Cloninger]

Besides Cueto and more often than not Leake.....this starting staff, if it remains the same.....is not a staff I would think can win a division.

I do not look at this staff going into next year with any confidence.

[Guacarock]

Yonder draws a walk, and works Grilli hard.

[Guacarock]

Homer Bailey pinch running for Alonso. That was a short stay in the game.

[Big Klu]

Homer Bailey pinch running for Alonso. That was a short stay in the game.

Alonso must be super-slow.

[Guacarock]

Phillips pop out. Reds retired without a run. 4-3 Bucs.

[redsmetz]

OK, did that final out have any chance of falling in for a hit? Brantley made it sound like there was some question to it, but then ultimately it sounded like a routine pop up out. Argh!

[Guacarock]

Alonso must be super-slow.

Stole 9 bases at Louisville last season and only got caught once. Stats suggest he's not that slow.

[oneupper]

OK, did that final out have any chance of falling in for a hit? Brantley made it sound like there was some question to it, but then ultimately it sounded like a routine pop up out. Argh!

Not much of a chance it fell in. Hung up enough for Walker to run it down unspectacularly.

[Guacarock]

Arredondo in to pitch for the Reds. Retires Wood and Cedeno. Pinch hitter now up for Griilli.

[Guacarock]

Rats retired. On to the eighth.

[redsmetz]

Not much of a chance it fell in. Hung up enough for Walker to run it down unspectacularly.

That's what I thought. Brantley's assignment in the off-season is to learn to moderate his voice to more accurately call a game for the team he broadcasts for. It's really becoming frustrating listening in and having him misdirect what's happening on the field.

[Guacarock]

Veras in to pitch for the Pirates and deliver the truth.

[Big Klu]

Stole 9 bases at Louisville last season and only got caught once. Stats suggest he's not that slow.

Has something in his game changed since last year? Has he had foot or leg injuries, or maybe gained a lot of weight?

[Guacarock]

Has something in his game changed? Has he had foot or leg injuries, or maybe gained a lot of weight?

More likely he got bit by a barracuda.

[Guacarock]

Nothing doing for the Reds in the eighth.

[Ron Madden]

Has something in his game changed? Has he had foot or leg injuries, or maybe gained a lot of weight?

I read somewhere Alonso still has problems from stepping on a sprinkler in Wrigley Field.

[dougdirt]

Has something in his game changed since last year? Has he had foot or leg injuries, or maybe gained a lot of weight?

No. He is the same speed as he was last year. In the minors, if you are a smart base runner, you can steal bases.

[oneupper]

Davidson rings up Bruce on a questionable checked swing. Ridiculous if you ask me, Bruce barely budged.

[Guacarock]

Arredondo returns to the mound and retires Tabata on a flyout.

[Guacarock]

Jones flies. Two down.

[dougdirt]

Davidson rings up Bruce on a questionable checked swing. Ridiculous if you ask me, Bruce barely budged.

I don't think he went, but I think he did a little more than barely budge.

[Guacarock]

Down to our skivvies. Ninth inning. Do or die. Frazier, Stubbs and Hanigan up.

[Big Klu]

No. He is the same speed as he was last year. In the minors, if you are a smart base runner, you can steal bases.

So he's super-slow, but relatively smart?

[Guacarock]

Bucs tap Hanrahan to silence our bats.

[Guacarock]

Frazier with a single. We're alive!

[Guacarock]

Stubbs flies out.

[Guacarock]

Hanigan walks. Two on.

[Guacarock]

Hernandez pinch hits for Janish.

[Guacarock]

We've got liftoff. Hernandez singles to tie us up 4-4.

[Ron Madden]

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Tie ballgame!!!

[Guacarock]

Cairo now roughs up Hanrahan with another single. Bases juiced for Phillips.

[Guacarock]

Open the floodgates! Phillips knocks in another run. 5-4 Reds.

[Kc61]

Walk to Lewis, bad idea with Votto up next.

[Guacarock]

Lewis walks. Bases juiced for Joey.

[Ron Madden]

Bases loaded for Joey Votto.

[Kc61]

Hurdle removes the closer who doesn't have it.

[WVRedsFan]

Need another run or two. Pitching change. Dusty would have left his "closer " in. Good move by Hurdle.

[Ron Madden]

Hurdle removes the closer who doesn't have it.

Dusty would never do such a thing.

[Guacarock]

Pitching change -- Daniel McCutchen replaces the bruised Hanrahan who surrendered two runs on three hits and two walks, and still has three men on base.

[Big Klu]

Hurdle removes the closer who doesn't have it.

Of course, you could also say that Hurdle closed the barn door after the horse already got out.

[Guacarock]

Votto strikes out to end the rally. But we're ahead 5-4.

[Ron Madden]

Hurdle thinks outta the box and it works.

[Kc61]

Of course, you could also say that Hurdle closed the barn door after the horse already got out.

Yeah, I was just picking on Dusty. Hanrahan has been money this year, I think Hurdle handled it ok.

Let's go Coco.

[WVRedsFan]

Hope Codero has it today.
Otherwise, the season was pretty much lost to Pittsburgh.

[Gallen5862]

Let's go Reds and Coco.

[Ron Madden]

Frazier to SS Cairo to 3B.

[Guacarock]

Here we go with Coco!

[Guacarock]

Frazier shifts over to SS, Cairo at 3B, Sappelt in LF.

[WVRedsFan]

Oh gawd.

[Guacarock]

Single by Doumit.

[Kc61]

Win, lose or draw, good to see Dusty use Frazier at short. Guy gives Reds good versatility, nice to see Reds use it.

[Ron Madden]

Nice throw and nice tag, OOOPPs I though the runner slid into the tag. not so sure he did.

.

[Kc61]

Lol. Caught stealing. Pirates fans, manager, announcers all complain.

[Guacarock]

Pinch runner caught stealing. One down.

[Guacarock]

Hurdle ejected.

[Kc61]

Need to get Walker. Tough out.

[Screwball]

That throw had to be perfect and it was.

Still not sure if he was out though. Very close on the replay.

[WVRedsFan]

I pray for the day Coco is not here

[Guacarock]

Walker doubles.

[jojo]

The reds are very lucky because if Knight gets the call correct at second, the Pirates would've just tied the game...

[Screwball]

No way in hell that should've been a double.

[Kc61]

Walker doubles.

Not sure if Lewis or Sappelt in left. But that should not have been a double by Walker. Bad, slow route to pick up that hit.

Two down now.

[jojo]

No way in hell that should've been a double.

Hopefully it wont matter.

[Guacarock]

Two outs. Paul flies to right. Runner at third.

[jojo]

wood is allergic to contact.

[PuffyPig]

No way in hell that should've been a double.

Sappelt continues to look pretty lazy in the field. If he has simply went after the ball with any effort he holds Walker to a single.

[WVRedsFan]

Reds win

[Kc61]

Sappelt continues to look pretty lazy in the field. If he has simply went after the ball with any effort he holds Walker to a single.

Maybe is not used to left field. Dave had trouble out there Friday as well.

Ballgames.

[Ron Madden]

Reds Win!!!

[Guacarock]

Wood out. Ballgame. Reds win 5-4.

[PuffyPig]

The reds are very lucky because if Knight gets the call correct at second, the Pirates would've just tied the game...

Firstly, it looks on one of the angles that the runner may well have slid into the ball. The umpire certainly had a good look at it.

Secondly, if he had been called safe, it changes subsequent events. Who knows what might have happened.

[Ron Madden]

Wood out. Ballgame. Reds win 5-4.

Thank You for the PBP. :thumbup:

[jojo]

Firstly, it looks on one of the angles that the runner may well have slid into the ball. The umpire certainly had a good look at it.

Secondly, if he had been called safe, it changes subsequent events. Who knows what might have happened.

The front on angle pretty clearly showed him safe but it's not like he was safe by a mile. Still the men in blue have progressively become less good at what they do.

[Guacarock]

With the victory, reliever Arredondo evens his record to 3-3. Cordero picks up his 26th save.

[PuffyPig]

Maybe is not used to left field. Dave had trouble out there Friday as well.



It was simply a lack of effort. He certainly doesn't look like someone trying to make a favourable impression.

And I think he's played LF in the minors previosly. But I could be wrong on that.

[Big Klu]

Wood out. Ballgame. Reds win 5-4.


Thank You for the PBP. :thumbup:

Seconded.

[Ron Madden]

Today's Box.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_08_21_cinmlb_pitmlb_1&mode=box&c_id=cin

[WVRedsFan]

All-World closer Hanrahan had a tough series. In all three games, he pitched a total of 3 innings, allowing 5 hits and 5 runs, walked two. Reds outscored the Bucs 19-17.

[dougdirt]

The front on angle pretty clearly showed him safe but it's not like he was safe by a mile. Still the men in blue have progressively become less good at what they do.

Or maybe we just think that because we didn't use to have 4 angles in HD of replays to watch?

[jojo]

Or maybe we just think that because we didn't use to have 4 angles in HD of replays to watch?

I'm pretty sure they just aren't as good. They can't blame multiple angles for their inability to call the strike zone.

[PuffyPig]

IIRC, Phillips is now 23 out of 27 in scoring a runner from 3rd with less than 2 outs.

That is beyond excellent.

[Tony Cloninger]

It was simply a lack of effort. He certainly doesn't look like someone trying to make a favourable impression.

And I think he's played LF in the minors previosly. But I could be wrong on that.

Dusty did say he needed to work on other things when they sent him down. Might of sounded like double talk but if his effort or play in LF looks off, maybe that is what they were talking about.

He has played LF in the minors.

[Sea Ray]

I'm pretty sure they just aren't as good. They can't blame multiple angles for their inability to call the strike zone.

I think they're tons better at calling balls and strikes. I'd love to see that strikes zone graphic used for an Eric Gregg called game

[Ron Madden]

I think they're tons better at calling balls and strikes. I'd love to see that strikes zone graphic used for an Eric Gregg called game

Have you ever watched C B Bucknor or Angel Hernandez call balls and strikes? If not. It's embarrassing.

Not to mention Joe West gets worse every year.
.