Editor’s note: Jason did a fine job recapping the game last night. It was his night to do the recap, and I knew that, but I’m not very smart and I composed one at the same time. Sheesh. Anyway, I decided to post mine this morning, since it seemed like such a shame to let all my moronic words go to waste.
Let’s recap last night’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Cincinnati 12
Houston 9
W: S. LeCure (1-1)
L: F. Rodriguez (1-6)
S: A. Chapman (5)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–The first three hitters in the Cincinnati lineup each scored three runs. Zack Cozart had two doubles. Drew Stubbs had three hits, including a run-scoring double and a three-run homer. Then there’s Joey Votto.
–Votto went 4-4 with a walk, reaching base in each of his at-bats. He hit his ninth homer, and his numbers on the season now look like this: .345/.475/.621. He’s simply great.
–Brandon Phillips had two hits, including a double and 3 RBI. Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick each homered.
–Jose Arredondo, Sean Marshall, and Aroldis Chapman did a good job of closing things out over the last three innings. Chapman, in particular, looked good, striking out the side in the ninth, despite one walk.
NEGATIVES
–After an encouraging run of games, Mat Latos was bad tonight. Latos surrendered seven runs (four of them earned) in 3.1 innings. Handed a six run lead, he allowed the Astros to come all the way back. Nothing good to say about Latos’ performance tonight.
–JJ Hoover was terrible for the first time in his short major league career. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, and recorded just two outs.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
#Reds had it all the way.
— Redleg Nation (@redlegnation) June 3, 2012
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
–What a bizarre game. Cincinnati jumped out to an 8-2 lead after two innings, only to see the Astros take a 9-8 lead in the fourth. The Reds tied it in the fifth, went ahead in the sixth, then scored a couple of insurance runs in the eighth.
–Your fighting Redlegs‬ are now eight games over .500 for first time this year. They remain in first place, obviously, and the lead is now 3.5 games over the Cardinals and Pirates. It’s Cincinnati’s largest lead since the end of the 2010 season.
–Joey Votto is too good for words.
–Mat Latos has not been good for most of the season, and there’s no way to sugarcoat that fact. However, if you have given up on Latos — a 24-year old with two good MLB seasons behind him — already, then you are a moron.
But sheesh, he has been tough to watch so far.
Latos with an ERA near 5.00 = bad. The team in first place with Mat due to dramatically improve = good as hell.
— Red Reporter (@redreporter) June 3, 2012
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
–Slowly but surely, Brandon Phillips’ numbers are creeping upward. He’s now hitting .276/.323/.420.
–Aroldis Chapman is a freak of nature. His velocity was outstanding tonight. Given that it was his second outing in as many nights, that’s encouraging.
–Great idea:
Aroldis Chapman’s first Major League start should come in this year’s All-Star Game.
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger1530) June 3, 2012
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
–Sam LeCure didn’t give up a run in two innings, but he didn’t really fool anyone tonight.
–Reds win, and they go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon. Me happy.
Source: FanGraphs