Reds Have Another Tough Loss Baltimore Wins 5-4

One of Dusty Baker's favorite players turned on him on Friday night.  Derrek Lee hit a game-winning home run in the 12th inning to send his former manager into the interview room to discuss another tough loss.

As in most extra-inning one run games there are calls and plays that could have changed the results but before the close shaves commenced it had a different feel.

The game was beginning to look like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" because Orioles were in Reds starter, Edinson Volquez's hair for 4 1/3 innings.  Volquez went to a full count on nearly every hitter, and he walked five birds. 

It was a nightmare for Volquez.

Baltimore scored the first four runs off the game.  Two in the second inning and Lee was involved.  Lee became Volquez's third walk of the game leading off the inning.  That's right, three walks in the span of six at bats.  Matt Wieters followed with a ground rule double, on of three such doubles, that played a huge roll in the outcome.  Blake Davis hit a long fly that eluded Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce.  Bruce threw home and the throw beat a bewildered Wieters but umpire Gary Cederstrom gave the safe sign.  Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez and Baker argued that Hernandez tagged Wieters on the arm but Cederstrom stuck to the call.

Adam Jones hit a home run off Volquez an inning later.  The Giants added another run in the fourth. Wieters hit another ground rule double to lead off.  Volquez nearly pitched out of it, getting.  Mark Reynolds and Blake Davis out but J.J.Hardy's soft single allowed Wieters to score more easily this time.

The Reds got three runs back.  Brandon Phillips came threw with a double that scored, Hernandez, who singled and Chris Heisey, who walked.  Joey Votto brought Phillips home on a double.

It got worse for Volquez.

Luke Scott drew Volquez final walk with one out.  Lee doubled and Baker had seen enough.  He brought in Sam LeCure, fresh off the disabled list.  LeCure saved the game for awile.  He struck out Wieters.  Baker had Mark Reynolds walked.  LeCure fanned Davis to escape.

Paul Janish tied the game with a two-out single, driving home Jonny Gomes, who doubled.

No one scored until Lee batted in the 12th but along the way, drama that could have changed the outcome added up for Baltimore.

In the seventh with Scott Rolen on firstbase and two out.  Jay Bruce blasted a line drive over the head of  centerfielder, Adam Jones' head.  It bounced into the stands keeping Rolen from scoring.  Another call went against the Reds.  Gomes hit a slow roller that pitcher, Jim Johnson, fielded it with his bare hand and nipped Gomes at firstbase while Rolen crossed the plate.  Adrian Johnson, no relation to the pitcher (as far as I know) called Gomes out, forcing five more frames.

LeCure pitched another scoreless inning.  Logan Ondrusek pitched a scoreless inning and part of another.  Bill Bray got a key out to end the eighth.  Nick Masset kept the Orioles scoreless through the 10th.

Jose Arredondo got into trouble in the 11th Hardy doubled on a fly that Stubbs couldn't hold onto.  Arredondo got Nick Markakis out on a ground out to Rolen that stopped Hardy in his tracks.  Jones flied out to Bruce, whose arm caused Hardy to hold.  Vladimir Guerrero was walked.  Felix Pie ground out to Votto.

The Reds nearly took the lead in the 12th.  Phillips singled. Votto forced him.  Bruce hit a sinking line drive that Jones in center field couldn't catch and the hit rolled behind him.  Votto on the move with two outs, chugged around the bases.  Jones retreved it. Threw to Hardy, who relayed to Wieters at the plate.  The ball beat Votto, who tried to elude Wieter's.  Votto slid, popped up, and nearly got around Wieters.  Votto claimed he wasn't touched.  Cederstrom called him out.

Lee ended it off Arredondo, minutes later.  Arredondo is now 0-3.    
'


The Reds dodged a pair of Baltimore scoring chances.