Let’s recap today’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Cincinnati 7
Milwaukee 3
W: H. Bailey (11-10)
L: J. Hellweg (1-4)
S: A. Chapman (36)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Shin-Soo Choo doubled, homered, and walked in four plate appearances. He scored three runs and drove in three runs. Choo, ladies and gentlemen, is the perfect leadoff hitter, as far as I’m concerned.
–Joey Votto was 2-3 with a 470-foot two-run homer, a walk, and 3 RBI. Votto pulled the homer down the right field line, which is a rare feat for him. It clanged off the foul pole, giving the Reds a 6-3 lead and a little breathing room that they would need later.
–Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick each had two hits, and Frazier drove in a run with a first-inning single.
NEGATIVES
–The Reds were victimized — again — with some lousy baserunning. Today, Frazier and Votto were the culprits.
–Sam LeCure was pretty bad, walking two and surrendering one hit, while only recording one out.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–After losing three out of four to a couple of pretty bad teams, the Redlegs win one and now have a chance to eke out a victory in this series.
–Homer Bailey was okay today. Seven innings, three runs allowed on five hits and four walks; Homer only struck out three. It was good enough to win, which is good enough for me.
–Before the game, Dusty Baker evidently held a meeting with some of the players. If that’s all it takes to get the bats working, I wish he’d have done that months ago.
–I hope the Reds pull out all the stops to re-sign Choo after this season.
–Dusty Baker brought Aroldis Chapman into the game in the eighth inning (with a 7-3 score), after Sam LeCure loaded the bases. Chapman struck out Jonathan Lucroy to end the inning. Lucroy, you will remember, hit a walk-off homer against Chapman last month at Miller Park.
Not today.
–I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Nation, but there is something you need to know: this team is only going to break your heart in the end. Don’t get too emotionally invested.
–Bronson Arroyo will pitch tomorrow in the rubber match.