Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Cincinnati 5
Pittsburgh 6
W: T. Watson (1-0)
L: J. Hoover (0-3)
S: J. Grilli (4)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Brandon Phillips hit two homers and drove in three runs. His second longball was a two-run shot in the seventh that tied the game at five.
–Devin Mesoraco doubled, walked, and drove in two runs. Jack Hannahan was 2-3 with a walk.
–Logan Ondrusek was the only effective pitcher on the Reds staff tonight.
NEGATIVES
–Mike Leake gave up five runs in the first two innings, and everyone was ready to throw him under the bus. Leake settled down nicely, however, and finished with six innings, five earned runs allowed on ten hits. Still…Leake has not pitched well this season since being handed the fifth spot in the rotation.
–JJ Hoover gave up a homer to Andrew McCutchen in the seventh to give Pittsburgh the winning margin. Hoover’s ERA on the season is now a robust 7.94.
–Zack Cozart was 0-4, dropping his slash stats to .114/.111/.286.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–I don’t like losing to the Pirates.
–Perhaps you can explain why, in a tight spot in the seventh inning, Dusty Baker decided to use JJ Hoover and Logan Ondrusek.
Ondrusek enters. From AA to pitching with two on, down one run, seventh inning, in the span of a few days. Interesting bullpen usage. #reds
— Redleg Nation (@redlegnation) April 13, 2013
Not a save situation. #sheesh “@kmmccammack: @redlegnation Is Aroldis available?â€Â
— Chris Garber (@cgarber8) April 13, 2013
Aroldis Chapman last pitched on April 7. #Reds
— Chris Garber (@cgarber8) April 12, 2013