Monthly Archives: September 2012

September 30, 2012

Game 158: Reds 1, Pirates 2

Team123456789RHE
Reds000000010172
Pirates000000101280
W: Hanrahan (5-1) L: Broxton (4-4)

Boxscore

Mike Leake makes his last start of 2012 against the Pirates (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)The Reds let the Pirates tie up the series last night when they lost 1-2.

After Homer Bailey’s no-hitter the night before, Mike Leake kind of needed a perfect game and four hits to get himself into serious contention for the play-off roster. Unfortunately, he blew the perfect game on the second batter when Josh Harrison singled to center field. He did go 1-for-2 on the night, though, which is something.

Leake pitched 6.0 innings, surrendering 4 hits and 3 walks before his tenure was up. It was Jose Arredeondo who got credit for the Pirates’ first run in the seventh inning. The Reds managed to tie it up in the eighth, and Logan Ondrusek held the Bucs during that inning. But alas, the Reds’ offense couldn’t come up with anything in the ninth, and Jonathan Broxton failed to send the game into extras when Andrew McCutchen, the second batter in the bottom of the inning, hit a home run to right field for the walk-off.

The Reds did have plenty of hits: 7 different guys each contributed 1 to the team’s 7 hit total. Joey Votto also walked twice, of course, so that didn’t help matters. Votto’s protection for the night, Scott Rolen, was the one to hit in the Reds’ only run though.

The loss brings the Reds’ record to 95-63. They try to win the series this afternoon at 1:35 p.m. Johnny Cueto (RHP, 19-9, 2.83 ERA) will take his last chance for win number 20 when he faces off against Wandy Rodriguez (LHP, 5-4, 3.78 ERA).

September 29, 2012

Game 157: Reds 1, Pirates 0

Team123456789RHE
Reds (95-62)100000000171
Pirates (76-81)000000000000
W: Bailey (13-10) L: Burnett (16-9)

Boxscore

In case you missed it yesterday, Homer Bailey pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates last night.

Ryan Hanigan hugs Homer Bailey after the last out of the no-hitter was recorded.

It’s the first no-hitter in PNC Park history, and it’s the first that a Cincinnati Reds pitcher has thrown since Tom Browning threw his perfect game back on September 16, 1988. Bailey accomplished his feat with 115 pitches. Over the 9 innings, he allowed no runs, no hits, walked one, and struck out 10.

The offense was again not really present. The Reds scored early, in the top of the first, but their bats fell silent after that. Thanks to Bailey’s flirt with flirtation, the 1 run was all they needed.

Phillips started the game off by singling to left. Zack Cozart followed with a single, providing Joey Votto with a rare opportunity to bat with runners on base. So of course, the Pirates walked him. But clean-up hitter Todd Frazier kept the bases-loaded, no-out situation from being a total loss by hitting a sacrifice fly to drive in Phillips.

It was all pitching after that, for both teams. In the end, the Pirates couldn’t score, and the Reds doomed them to their 20th season in a row without a winning record.

The Pirates still have a shot at a .500 record, but they’ll have to win all their remaining games. They’ll send out Kyle McPherson to attempt that, while the Reds will counter with Mike Leake, a man on the bubble of being included on the playoff roster. The game starts at 7:05pm.

September 28, 2012

Homer Bailey: The first no-hitter

Homer Bailey tossed the Reds’ first no-hitter since Tom Browning’s perfect game in 1988.

In the first of a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds starter Homer Bailey threw a no-hitter.

He faced one more than the minimum number of batters and was one error and one walk away from a perfect game. Scott Rolen had an error that allowed Clint Barmes to reach base. Later, Bailey walked Andrew McCutchen. After stealing 2nd base, McCutchen attempted to take 3rd, but was thrown out by catcher Ryan Hanigan.

Bailey threw 115 pitches, struck out 10, walked 1, and allowed no hits and no runs. He picked up his 13th win and the Reds’ first no-hitter since Tom Browning’s perfect game back in September 1988.

September 28, 2012

Baker “can’t remember the last time” he felt this good

In Dusty We Trusty

Hall of Fame reporter Hal McCoy had the chance to sit down and chat with Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker when he was in the office yesterday, and it sounds like Baker is very close to returning.

Baker was upbeat, enthusiastic and effervescent during my short visit.

He looked fit and trim and the smile on his face was as wide as the room. His handshake was bone-shattering, as it always is.

Baker had a good attitude about the mini-stroke, feeling a little lucky to have it happen while he was still in the hospital. And he’s planning on returning for the final series of the regular season against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“I’m OK, I’m fine,” he said. “I haven’t felt this good in a long time. I can’t remember the last time I felt this good.”

That’s encouraging news. While Baker has been making appearances before each of the last several games at the ball park, his actual presence with what is his team during the games will be very important for the playoffs.

Besides, it would be a shame for him to miss any post-season celebration.

September 28, 2012

Which Reds will play in the first round of the playoffs?

Last Game

The Reds celebrated their regular season home finale walk-off win like they hadn’t had anything to celebrate for a while.

Mat Latos turned in another excellent outing, allowing just 1 run over 7 innings. The bullpen, no doubt thoroughly shamed by the previous game’s suckitude, was lights-out, too.

Unfortunately, the Reds were again without offense and unable to score one measly run. Then Todd Frazier stepped up to the plate in the 9th inning with two outs and hit a solo shot to center field to tie the game. Jay Bruce followed with a single, and Dioner Navarro hit a walk-off triple to bring him in and win the last regular season game at Great American Ball Park.

Next Game
Cincinnati travels to Pittsburgh to start their final regular season road trip of the year. The Pirates–one of the sadder stories of the season–will be fighting to finish the year with their first winning record in a generation. The Reds will be fighting for home field advantage in the playoffs. It will be A. J. Burnett versus Homer Bailey at 7:05pm.

No surprises planned for post-season roster
With just 6 games left in the regular season, thoughts among Reds fans are turning towards who will be named to the roster for the first playoff series. The managerial staff is thinking about it, too.

Acting manager Chris Speier says don’t expect any shockers.

“A lot of it is you want to have the best roster you can,” Speier said. “But you take into consideration the contribution people have made throughout the year. I’m sure the final roster won’t have too many surprises.”

Speier met with manager Dusty Baker and Walt Jocketty once to discuss the potential roster, and there isn’t much capability for surprises. Short of calling on Billy Hamilton–who hasn’t played a Major League game–Cincinnati is likely to go with those who got them where they are this year.

From the rotation, Mike Leake is the likeliest to be left off. Five starters aren’t needed in the playoffs, and the bullpen is packed with proven successful options.

For the position players, Wilson Valdez will probably make the team, as much as I might not like it. Didi Gregorius would be a better option, but that promise of no surprises removes him from the running. Devin Mesoraco, the catcher of the future, is not the catcher of the present, so he is unlikely to make it.

The final roster won’t be decided upon until after the final game with the St. Louis Cardinals.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
The Reds’ season attendance total was 2,347,251. That puts them at second place in Great American Ball Park history. First place goes to 2003, when the park opened. That year, the team drew 2,355,259. Missed it by 8,008.