The Cincinnati Reds will at least come home on a winning note. What was expected to be a cruise through the NL Central basement turned out to be traumatic.
Todd Frazier hit a two-run home run and a key RBI double to lead the Reds offense.
Bronson Arroyo would have come up with a quality start, if not for a tainted run in the third inning.
Drew Stubbs was dropped to sixth in the batting order because rookie outfielder, Dave Sappelt, made his major league debut in the leadoff spot.. Stubbs responded with his 14th home run off Randy Wells in the second.
Chicago came back on Arroyo. Starlin Castro homered to extend his streak of games with at least one run scored to nine games. Wrigley winds and a missed fly ball put the Cubs on top. Carlos Pena walked after two outs. Marlon Byrd flipped his bat aside on a two-strike pitch, thinking it was an easy out but Stubbs lost the ball in the sun. Pena to his credit, hustled all the way and scored. It put the Cubs on top.
The Reds regained the lead on Frazier's two-run home run home run in the fourth. It was his third. Stubbs singled and stole second. Wells threw a wild pitch to send Stubbs home for a two-run lead.
Sappelt got his first major league hit in the fifth. He scored on Edgar Renteria's third home run.on his 36th birthday and the Reds led 6-2.
Blake Dewitt touched Arroyo for a two-run home run, the 32nd he's allowed. The Reds record is 40 set by Eric Milton in 2005.
Chicago came all the way back against the Reds bullpen. Logan Ondrusek hit Reed Johnson leading off the seventh. Castro and Tony Campana singled to cut the lead to one. Aramis Ramirez forced Campana to pur runners on the corner for one out. Campana slid hard to break up the double play. Paul Janish was out of position playing secondbase for Phillips, who has a sprained left ankle.
Bill Bray took over for Ondrusek. Carlos Pena was caught looking for the second out. Nick Masset replaced Bray. Marlon Byrd greeted Masset with a ground rule double to tie the score. A wild pitch put the Cubs on top.
It was time for the Reds to catch up and the Cubs turn to miss an easy fly. Byrd slipped on an easy fly to center and Joey Votto had a double.
Frazier tied it in the eighth with a double. Ryan Hanigan drove Frazier home to give the Reds the lead.
Aroldis Chapman continued his run by striking out the side in the eighth. Francisco Cordero passed Goose Gossage on the All-Time save list with a perfect ninth.
Cincinnati Sports News and Commentary
About Me
- Gary Schatz
- I am a freelance writer. I've covered the Cincinnati Reds, Bengals and others since 1992. I have a background in sales as well. I've sold consumer electronics, advertising and consumer package goods for companies ranging from the now defunct Circuit City to Procter&Gamble. I have worked as a stats operator for Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, the College of Mount St. Joe and Colerain High School.
No comments:
Post a Comment