Reds Live Game Thread: 7/26/06 Reds vs. Stros

[fisch11]

Here's the kicker: Pettitte got the win!

[fisch11]

Also, Astros bullpen hasn't allowed ER in last 20 1/3 innings. Longest streak of the season.

[jnwohio]

That inning had a really bad feel to it.

It really did didn't it. I thought Arroyo looked just plain lazy against Ausmus even before he got tagged then careless against Everett when he hit him with that 0-1 pitch.

Originally I thought Everett was the key batter of the inning; but then seeing how the Reds 9th unfolded with the Astros working with a 3 run lead as opposed to the 4 run lead the Reds had to work with in the 5th, I decided that not getting an out on the Tavares grounder was in retrospect the key. On that one I thought with the play at first right in front of him, Clayton should have taken the out there instead of trying to get something more.

As you watch Arroyo work it is evident that in some situations, he absolutely pitches around folks and not getting that out on Tavares, did not leave him any wiggle room to do that. And actually I thiink the 'Stros also gave themselves some unintended help in the same way when they held Everett at 3rd on the Biggio single. If 2 come in on the Biggio single, the Astros are probably going to have Burke bunt the runners to 2nd and 3rd and that would have resulted in all likelihood in Berkman being walked.

Very intersting if upsetting inning. The one thing I think you do have to say though is the way Arroyo blew through the next 8 guys (until Berkman again) after the dameage was done, his problems were mental and not physical. And that is what is much more worrisome to me than just the blown game tonite.

[TeamBoone]

This game wasn't on the offense though. It's Bronson's, and he will be the first to tell you that.

Yeah, he had a bad inning... but Clayton and Phillips didn't help his cause either.

Also, based on past experience (ad nauseum).... why would you pitch to Berkman? They did the same thing with Pujols and he did the same thing as Berkman. Just dumb!

I also wonder, again, why Adam Dunn is not left in the two spot. Instead of him being on deck when the last out was recorded, he would have already batted in the inning... which may have made a difference.