Time for a recap of today’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Houston 5
Cincinnati 8
WP: Harang (5-4)
LP: W. Rodriguez (5-3)
S: Cordero (12)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Smiling side of the scoreboard! Great way to start the series against Houston, especially with a tough pitcher on the mound for the ‘Stros. Two more wins in the next two days (yeah, I know that’s a tall order, with Oswalt pitching one of those games), and it will have been a particularly nice homestand, am I right?
–What can we say about Jonny Gomes? You know we’ve been saying that the Reds should call up Gomes since Opening Day. There will be leaner times, but he’s justifying our faith in him right now. Today, Gomes got on base 4 times, going 3-4 with three RBI. Toss in his sterling defensive play in the 8th inning and you have a guy that’s really helping this team right now (especially with all the injuries the Reds have suffered).
I’m just going to say it: Gomes better never play another game in Louisville.
–Two hits each for Ramon Hernandez, Jerry Hairston, and Adam Rosales.
–Another nice outing for Francisco Cordero, as he picks up his 12th save.
NEGATIVES
–Jared Burton. Is he hurt? With an ERA over 6, and two runs allowed today in just one inning, I’m worried.
–If Lance Berkman played for the Reds, he’d be one of my favorite players. As it is, I can’t stand the guy.
ETC.
–Aaron Harang didn’t have his best stuff again today, but he always battles. Glad to see him get the win; it wasn’t a foregone conclusion, since the teams were delayed more than two hours by rain after Harang got out number two in the top of the fifth.
–Carlos Fisher pitched two more scoreless innings. He walked a couple of guys, but emerged unscathed.
–I know, I should just drop it, but you should know by now that I love nothing more than beating a dead horse (I’ll have an Adam D*** post for you later, I promise). Anyway:
Jonny Gomes: 4 games, 6 hits, 3 RBI
Darnell McDonald: 24 games, 7 hits, 1 RBI
–Today is a perfect example of why I love baseball. With injuries, illness, etc., Dusty Baker’s hands were tied and he started what may be the worst lineup in Cincinnati in fifty years. Chris Dickerson hitting third?
So what did that terrible lineup do? Just bat around in the first inning, with even Harang getting an RBI! Goodness, I love this game.