Extra Innings Again Better Results For Reds

It looked like it was going to be a blow out that the Reds sorely needed after extra inning losses in the first two games of the series. 

The game started out the way the Reds had hoped.  Ryan Ludwick hit a grand slam home run to give the Reds a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning.  The Reds took advantage of some breaks, close ball/strike calls that went Jay Bruce's way.  Bruce walked after Scott  Rolen reached on an error by Ian Desmond.

The runs were welcomed after Edwin Jackson turned in a complete game performance, limiting the Reds to two hits on Saturday, a 4-1 loss that felt like a blow out.

When it appeared that the Reds were starting to get a share of the breaks, the game turned against them.

Ryan Hanigan singled home Ludwick to put the Reds up 5-0 but the Nationals came back.

All the way back.

Mike Leake handled Washington in the first three innings but singles by the first two hitters in the fourth put the lead in jeopardy.  Leake was the victim of the same tight strike zone that Washington starter Ross Detwiler endured.  He walked Ryan Zimmerman.  Leake jammed Andy LaRoche, who flared it close to the line in right.  It fell for a hit, scoring two runs.  The Nationals got a ground out to make the score 5-3.

They got another run to get closer in the fifth.  They tied the contest in the seventh.  Leake was relieved by big Logan Ondrusek.  Ondrusek gave up a single to Desmond that tied the game.  Chris Heisey's throw to cut down Rick Ankiel at the plate beat the runner but short hopped Hanigan and the game was tied.

The bullpens took over.  Craig Stammen continued to dominate Reds hitters, as he's did in the first two extra-inning games.  Aroldis Chapman dominated again for two innings.  The bullpen sent the two teams to extra innings for the third time in the four-game series. The Nationals and Reds went 14 innings in their last meeting at Great American Ball Park last season.  Votto won that one with a walk off home run. Could it be foreshadowing.

Jose Arredondo pitched a good 10th.

The Nationals had shown that they did not want to pitch to Joey Votto if they could help it.  Rolen struck out twice with runners in scoring position.

The momentum swung back to the Reds when Drew Stubbs, who did not start, singled on a two-strike pitch from Tyler Clippard.  Wilson Valdez opened Dusty Baker up to second guessing again by botching a sacrifice.  Zack Cozart singled to right getting Votto into a position that Washington had to pitch to him.

The 2010 MVP doubled to left sending Stubbs and Cozart home.  Rolen redeemed himself.  He singled Votto home to give the Reds a rare 3-run lead.  They had scored just three runs in 32 innings in the first three games, all losses of the series.

Rolen was 1-for-3 with runners in scoring postition on the day.  The twitter impulse panickers should now be corrected.

Sean Marshall, the closer by default, allowed two singles in the bottom of the inning but shut the door for his first save as a Red.

The Reds have a day off in St. Louis before ace Johnny Cueto takes the mound against the reigning World Champions.