| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Phillies (25-35) |
1 | 6 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (28-32) |
4 | 6 | 0 |
| W: H. Bailey (7-3)  L: D. Buchanan (1-3)  S: A. Chapman (9) | |||
| Box Score | Play-by-Play | Stats | Depth Chart | FanGraphs Win Probability | |||
Positives
Homer Bailey. Let’s start there. Homer has had a rough season so far, but today is exactly what we were all hoping for out of him this year. 8 innings, 7 strikeouts, 1 run. That’s how you get it done. He even helped himself with the bat, which is always fun to see from a pitcher.
Billy Hamilton had his second home run of the year. Whenever he manages to really get ahold of a ball, it provides reassurance that he can hit enough to stick around, and that’s good.
I guess I should mention Aroldis Chapman but all he did was strikeout the side. No big deal.
Negatives
Devin Mesoraco struck out three times and hasn’t been hitting well of late. It will be nice when he turns it around and start killing it again.
Not so random thoughts …
The win today gave the Reds a series victory and wins in six of their last ten games. This has been a frustrating team, but they are nearing the end of the first half and the second half of the schedule is much easier. If they can continue to hover around .500, there is a chance they could make a run when things lighten up.
And speaking of making a run, Joey Votto and Mat Latos are both on the cusp of returning from injury. That would put this team at full strength for the first time all year. The Reds have a hole to climb out of, but I’m interested to see what they might be able to do with everyone healthy and playing.