Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
San Francisco 3
Cincinnati 0
WP: Cain (5-4)
LP: LeCure (1-2)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Sam LeCure wasn’t particularly sharp (four walks and three strikeouts), but he pitched six innings, giving up only one run on five hits. After three major league starts, his ERA is 3.12. That’s outstanding.
NEGATIVES
–The offense was terrible, and Nick Masset continues to be a complete and utter train wreck. At what point will Dusty Baker realize this and stop handing him the ball in crucial situations?
–Scott Rolen’s defense was pretty bad tonight. He’s had a great offensive season, and I love the old guy, but it’s sorta gone unspoken that his defense has appeared to drop off this season. I hope that’s just my eyes playing tricks on me, but he and Orlando Cabrera can’t get to anything hit on the ground to the left side.
–I’m very afraid that the Reds are starting to play dumb baseball again:
The Reds ran themselves out of a couple of early chances. Phillips was doubled off first base on a fly ball in the first inning. Scott Rolen was caught in a rundown when he tried to score from third on a grounder with the infield drawn in — second baseman Freddy Sanchez fielded Laynce Nix’s grounder cleanly and unloaded his throw home quickly.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–An uninspired performance.
–With Homer Bailey’s poor performance in his AAA rehab start, what do you do with LeCure? He needs to stay in the major league bullpen when Bailey returns, if nothing else.
–Arthur Rhodes is hurt. He was good again tonight, but the poor guy could barely walk off the field.
–Gotta get ’em tomorrow, Redlegs.