Let’s recap today’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Milwaukee 3
Cincinnati 12
WP: Arroyo (1-0)
LP: Wolf (0-1)
BOXSCORE
POSITIVES
–Rickie Weeks started the game off with a homer, but the rest of the day was all Reds.
–19 hits…the vast majority of the team had good days. Every player that came to bat for the Reds today got a hit. The biggest day of all went to Ryan Hanigan (4-4 with 2 homers), the first 4 hit game of his career. Brandon Phillips had 3 hits, including a big 3-run homer which basically broke the game open. Johnny Gomes had 2 hits including a homer.
Paul Janish had 2 hits, one a double. Hopefully this extends his life expectancy as starter for a few more days.
–Bronson Arroyo wasn’t great, but he was better than adequate. He threw 7 innings and gave up 3 runs, but considering he’s still battling mono, I thought he was very good. He also pounded the strike zone all day long. He threw 87 pitches and 65 of them were strikes.
— Today was the first game I have attended that Chapman pitched. He brings unbelievable electricity to the ballpark when he comes in from the bullpen. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before in 40+ years of attending Reds games.
NEGATIVES
–It was a big day for the home team. The only thing that concerns me is that Jay Bruce looks lost at home plate to me right now. He’s chasing those pitches down and away, as he does when he’s struggling.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
— An Opening Series sweep of the team that many feel is the Reds biggest challenger for a repeat of the division title…that is a pretty fantastic way to start the season.
— My first game of the season. Great weather, great game, great time.