Time for a recap of tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Philadelphia 1
Cincinnati 5
WP: Harang (4-4)
LP: Moyer (3-4)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Smiling side of the scoreboard!
–We all love the young guns in the rotation, but Aaron Harang is still the stud of the group. Seven innings, one run, four hits, struck out 9, walked only two. It’s exactly the type of start the Reds needed. The big guy is just awesome.
–Here’s what I love about baseball: tonight’s lineup had to be one of the worst lineups any team has sent out onto the field all season long. Just brutal. Alex Gonzalez “hitting” sixth?
So what does this pathetic lineup do? Just score five runs. I love this game. Anything can happen at any time.
–Ryan Hanigan has done everything that has been asked of him. Two more hits tonight, including a homer. You really have to like this kid.
–Francisco Cordero was dominant in the ninth.
–Arthur Rhodes has been a great acquisition thus far.
NEGATIVES
–Darnell “Reggie Taylor Wannabe” started his second straight game. That’s a disgrace. Free Jonny Gomes!
–Your sixth hitter tonight: 494 OPS. Your seventh hitter: 439 OPS. Disgusting.
ETC.
–McDonald did get on base, though!!! Yeah, he was hit on the foot with a pitch, but still!
–Is Mark Berry the worst third base coach ever? I don’t know because I can’t say I follow other teams’ third base coaches, but Berry seems pretty bad. He sent “Harriston” home tonight on a double by Bruce and the play at home wasn’t even close. It was ludicrous.
–Other than Hanigan, none of the offensive output can be contributed to the crappy back end of the lineup. The top four hitters (Taveras, Hairston, Phillips, Bruce) had two hits each. Willy Taveras reached three times. Glad to see him come alive after a recent rough stretch.
–Back in the win column, and tonight’s game was a lot of fun, wasn’t it?. Now let’s see the Reds win the series tomorrow afternoon, okay?