Todd Frazier's Blast and Mat Latos Gem Earn Reds a Win Over the Cubs

Kent Mercker must feel better about himself at his home in Dublin, Ohio.


Mercker gave up the seventh longest home run in GABP history until Todd Frazier smashed a pitch from his arch rival from his college days.  Frazier hit a poorly placed cutter 480 feet onto the batter's eye in centerfield off Jeff Samardzija.

Mercker's 479 foot home run that he allowed to Ryan Howard five years ago fell to the eighth position on the long ball list.

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More importantly, the blast made a 1-0 winner out of the Reds without going to extra innings.  It allowed Mat Latos, who has pitched well all month, to pick up his first win of the season.

Latos threw blanks at the Cubs all day.  He wasn't over powering with just four strikeouts but he allowed just four hits in seven innings, including an infield single in the eighth.  He walked Dioner Navarro to start the frame and left with two on and no out in the inning.

Jonathan Broxton picked him up.  Cody Ransom bunted the potential tying and winning runners to second and third.  Broxton carved up pinch hitter Alfonso Soriano for a strikeout. David DeJesus sent a chill down the Reds' collective spines with a flair down the rightfield line that was less than a foot foul.

Zack Cozart saved the runs and the games with a brilliant stop behind secondbase and an accurate throw to retire DeJesus and end the threat.

By stranding the runners, Latos ERA dropped to a very good 2.16.

"It was an unbelievable play in that situation," Cubs' manager Dale Sveum said.  "The foul ball missed the line by less than a foot.  That's what happens when things aren't going your way."

The Reds found runs to be scarce and Frazier's sixth home run on the season was a welcome sight.  Both teams pitched well during the series that the Reds claimed two games to one.

The first two went extra innings, 13 of them on Monday in the Reds 5-4 win and 10 in the Reds' loss in the 4-2 contest on Tuesday.

"It all begins with starting pitching," Dusty Baker said. "The Cubs had great starting pitching too.  We were told they were getting great starting pitching."