Vanishes into thin air

When Jay Bruce drove the Reds first hit of the day deep over the right field fence in the fourth inning, I wrote “Big hit?” on my note pad. Bruce’s 2-run blast seemed to wake up the Reds bats as the visitors scored seven unanswered runs. It was the right fielder’s 13th home run of the season. Jordan Lyles immediately knew the fate of his 3-1 fastball, as he looked down at his feet in disgust. Zack Cozart was on base after he owned Lyles into hitting him on a 1-2 change up.

Mat Latos struggled. He never seemed comfortable on the mound and fought the thin air’s effect on his breaking ball every inning. Latos worked around eight hits and three walks in five innings. He had gone at least seven innings in his previous three starts so Latos gets a Coors Field hall pass today.

Jumbo Diaz came into the game in the seventh inning after Sam LeCure had surrendered a home run and two singles. After giving up a single himself, the 30-year-old rookie got three straight outs, allowing just one run to score. Jonathan Broxton, pitching for the first time since Cespedes, allowed a hit and walk but benefitted from a well-timed double play.

When Aroldis Chapman entered the game, the Reds had a 97.8 percent chance of winning. But Chapman walked the first four Rockies batters in the bottom of the ninth. Devin Mesoraco seemed to think he was hurt, calling out the Reds trainer. Price pulled Chapman after the closer had thrown 28 pitches and recorded no outs.

J.J. Hoover was called on to bail out Chapman with bases loaded. Hoover recorded two outs before giving up a three-run homer to former Reds player Drew Stubbs.

Kristopher Negron joined the Mile High Club (getting lucky at high altitude) with his fourth home run of the year. Zack Cozart lined a soft single into centerfield knocking in two runs. He hustled to third on Jay Bruce’s single to LCF and scored on a wild pitch while Devin Mesoraco was at the plate. Chris Heisey had a double and a walk.

Billy Hamilton contributed an important double in the fifth inning after a long at bat. He also started the ninth inning with a bloop double that led to two seemingly important insurance runs. Jay Bruce knocked Hamilton in with his third hit of the game. Brayan Peña singled to drive in Bruce. Hamilton also made two good defensive plays, one closing on a ball well in front of him and the other on a liner over his head. Skip Schumaker saved a run with a nice defensive play in the first inning.

The Brewers swept the Dodgers in LA. The Cardinals won. The Pirates scored three runs in the top of the ninth off Nationals’ closer Raphael Soriano but Washington scored one in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. The Giants won. Atlanta is playing tonight.

As do the Reds and Rockies.