Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Cincinnati 6
Arizona 1
WP: Arroyo (2-0)
LP: Hudson (0-2)
BOXSCORE
POSITIVES
–Really nice outing by Bronson Arroyo tonight: six innings, one unearned run allowed on eight hits, six strikeouts and no walks. A quintessential Arroyo outing, and it’s the reason why he’s my favorite Red. So much fun to watch this guy pitch when he is doing his thing.
–Aroldis Chapman is just unreal. He threw ten pitches. Nine were strikes. Eight were 100 MPH or better. Fastest pitch: a 103 MPH heater to strikeout the final hitter he faced. Simply dominant.
–Who is this Jonny Gomes character that is playing for the Redlegs? Tonight he went 1-3 with a big double that drove in two runs and gave the Reds a little breathing room in the ninth inning. He also walked again.
Plus, Thom Brennaman said again that he’s a good defensive player. So he has that going for him, which is nice.
Vottomatic (The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II)
–Bill Bray and Francisco Cordero looked outstanding in their single innings of work. The Reds need to give CoCo a five-run lead to work with every single night.
NEGATIVES
–There was a kid behind home plate that wouldn’t sit down and shut up. Made the television broadcast almost impossible to watch.
–Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs both looked pretty bad at the plate again tonight. Perhaps they should be sent to AAA. Or perhaps we should be patient.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–Nice win for the Reds after two straight losses. Certainly, it should make the Nation breathe a little easier.
–Cincinnati only had three hits going into the ninth. The offense has sputtered a bit since leaving Great American Ballpark.
–I’m loving the discipline Gomes has shown at the plate this season. I can only hope it continues.
–Reds go for another series win tomorrow. Excellent!