The Short Version: Reds cap off a rough week with a series-ending victory in Philadelphia.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (29-35) | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Phillies (37-28) | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| W: Duke (3-1) L: Alvarez (0-2) S: Iglesias (13) | |||
| FanGraphs Win Probability | Box Score | |||
The Good
–Sonny Gray’s final line doesn’t reflect the face that he was pretty locked in today: 5.2 innings, 3 runs allowed on 4 hits and 3 walks. One of those hits and two of those runs were not his fault (see below). I’ll take this version of Gray every single day.
–Amir Garrett was unhittable in his one inning of work. Watching him pitch to (and strike out) Bryce Harper was entertaining.
–Nick Senzel didn’t start, his first day off since joining the Reds. The “day off” last six innings; Senzel entered the game and went 2 for 2 with a run scored.
–Zach Duke, Michael Lorenzen, Garrett, and Raisel Iglesias pitched 3.1 innings of shutout relief.
–Duke threw two pitches and got credit for the win today. Nice rules you have there, Major League Baseball.
–Gray and Curt Casali combined to nab Harper trying to steal home. That was fun.
–Casali had a single, two walks, and a run scored. Joey Votto singled, walked, and picked up two runs batted in.
The Bad
–With bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the third, Gray induced Rhys Hoskins into an easy infield popup that would have ended the inning and preserved Cincinnati’s 1-0 lead. Except the Reds chose that moment to look like Little Leaguers. Neither Votto or Derek Dietrich could come up with it, and two runs scored. Sure, the wind was whipping around and the sun was in their eyes or something, but that was an embarrassing display that cost Gray two earned runs.
–Yasiel Puig was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. He’s now hitting .207/.252/.378 on the season.
The Recap
–Reds pick up a much-needed win after losing 6 of 8.
–Jose Peraza played three different positions today: CF, 2B, LF.
–The Reds opened the scoring with a run in the top of the second inning. Derek Dietrich led off the frame with a single. One out later, Dietrich attempted to steal second while Jose Iglesias made a little “excuse me” swing on the ball. Iglesias made contact and it landed where the second baseman would have been, if he weren’t covering second because of Dietrich, who advanced to third. The run came across when Peraza grounded out to third.
–After the Bad News Bears nonsense described above, the Reds were down 3-1 as the game moved to the seventh. With two outs, Casali got a rally going with an infield single. Josh VanMeter followed with a walk, and Nick Senzel — pinch-hitting for Jesse Winker — collected an infield single of his own. Votto then delivered a single to center that scored two and tied the game. That was one of the biggest hits of the season for the Reds, given recent struggles and the need to pick up a win today. Nice to see Votto come through.
Eugenio Suarez followed with an RBI single to left that gave the Reds a 4-3 lead that the good guys would not relinquish.
–On to Cleveland, where Luis Castillo will face Trevor Bauer on Tuesday night.
Today’s Tweets
Need a win today, lads.
— Redleg Nation Radio (@redlegradio) June 9, 2019
Can we get a team mom in the dugout to supply all the guys with sunglasses?
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger1530) June 9, 2019
Reds really need to take the field next game with "Chico's Bail Bonds" as their sponsor on the back of the uniform.
— Chad Dotson (@dotsonc) June 9, 2019
I love that Joey Votto is back.
— Jason Linden (@JasonLinden) June 9, 2019