Five Reds Players Hit Their Last First Home Runs

 

Albert Pujols hit 694 home runs but only one of those was his first.  

On April 6, 2001 a 21-year old Pujols hit a home run off Armando Reynoso in Arizona. He repeaterd the feat 693 times over the last 21 years.  Never again to get the thrill that came from his first one.

Stuart Fairchild hit his first big league home run off Luis Severino at Yankee Stadium in New York.  Mark Kolozsvary hit his first on July 23 at GABP off Jose Fernandez.  Michael Papierski hit his first off Corbin Burnes in Milwuakee onAugust 5. Jose Barrero hit his first in Milwaukee off Hoby Milner on August 6.  He added his second later in the game. Chuckie Robinson hit his first on August 29 off Miles Mikolas in the game that Pujols launched number 694 off his 450th victim Ross Detwiler, who grew up in St. Louis.   Robinson grew up in Danville, Illinois where he followed the career of the Cardinals' Yadier Molina.

The Reds manager, David Bell, has a background in player development as a minor league manager and roving hitting instructor.  He also spent a year in the player development department of the San Francisco Giants.  

"That's a passion of mine, being around the young players," Bell said. "Trying to help them through it, being able to go through the experience with them, to think about where they started.  They dream about playing in the Major Leagues as a little kid and to see it happens, is a success at this level.  It is such a great accomplishment.  Every little step whether its their first hit, first home run, first big play or doing something to win a game, just increases the belief that they belong here. It is fun to be a part of it.  It is the whole development process, where everything matters."

Bell went to the mound after Robinson hit his first home run.  Robinson's mother Dionne was in attendence, the first time she watched her son play in the big leagues.  Ironically, a family from his hometown caught the ball and gave it to his mother.

"My favorite part was standing on the mound with Chuckie.  I started talking to him about the next hitter but I really wanted to talk about his run around the bases.  He really got a big smile on his face talking about his mom.  To be that close to it makes my job so much fun," Bell said. 

The modest Bell, born in Cincinnati.  His grandfather, father and brother played for the Reds.  David managed the Louisville and Carolina teams in the Reds' minor league system.  He was asked to recall his first big league homer.

"It was here I think, Riverfront Stadium," Bell recalled.  "It meant a lot because it was here.  It was off Mark Portugal.  But at the time, I was just trying to survive in the big leagues. So that was like the main thing. I was just happy to hit a home run."

The converstion on Tuesday marked the 27th anniversary of his home run. His two-run home run on August 30, 1995 as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals provided the winning margin in a 4-3 win over the Reds.

After the game Bell was on the Star of the Game postgame show with an emotional Joe Nuxhall, who was a teammate of Bell's grandfather, Gus and called games on radio played by David's father, Buddy.

"Oh wow, that I have a very vivid memory of.  I remember where I was standing. It was right outside the clubhouse. Near the clubhouse manager's office."

After the show was off the air, Nuxhall said,"His grandpa would have been so proud," as tears dampened his rugged face. 

Gus Bell died from a heart attack on May 7, 1995, just four days after David broke into the Major Leagues with the Cleveland Indians.

His late younger brother, Mike, hit the first of his two home runs on September 2, 2000 in a pinch hit appearance.  Mike only played 19 games in the big leagues but made a career in player development for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jonathan India, Alego Lopez And Jake Fraley Lead Reds Over Cardinals

 

 

 

The Reds exploded for four runs in the third inning against Dakota Hudson and rode the wave to a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Justin Dunn pitched four innings for the Reds.  The only blemish was the 11th home run by Tommy Edman in the third inning.

The Reds answered the run in the bottom of the inning against Cardinal starter Dakota Hudson.

Alejo Lopez opened the frame with a single.  Austin Romine, who played for the Cardinals earlier this season, hit his second home run to put the Reds on top.  Jonathan India extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single.  Jake Fraley doubled into the left field corner score India.  Kyle Farmer singled through the right side to send Fraley home.

Romine caught Hudson two or three times when he was with the Cardinals but the visual is different from the batter's box.

"Hudson has a really good sinker.  You have to decide which side of the plate you want to own," Romine said.  "He threw me a really good slider out over the plate, the pitch before that I laid off.  The next one he threw, I didn't try to do too much and used the right center approach."

Newly signed Derek Law relieved Dunn to start the fifth.

"Dunn had a little tightness in his shoulder.  It is something that pitchers deal with all the time," David Bell said.  "His velocity was down.  He's not injured but we want to be cautious.  We want him to keep going in the right direction.  He fought to stay in. I'm very confident he will make his next start."

Dunn did not pitch in spring training at all.  He didn't make his first start until June 3.  In his last two starts, Dunn has allowed three runs in 11 innings.

"My shoulder got a little tight in that long inning. I went to have a stretch and when I came back the decision was already made," Dunn said.  "The competitor in me was pissed but in hindsight it was the right decision.  This is far different than what I felt last year in Seattle.  I wanted to stay in but the wrong move and I could be out another 460 days.  I will work with the training staff."

The Reds started the fifth on singles by India, his second, Fraley's second hit and Farmer's single off the third base bag.   India scored when Donovan Solano hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

Law pitched two scoreless innings and Joel Kuhnel pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. Buck Farmer pitched a perfect eighth.

Alexis Diaz finished for the Reds in a non-save situation.

Albert Pujols Chases 700 Home Runs Reds Starter Chase Anderson Was Chased Early

 

 

If you go to enough baseball games, you will see something you have never seen before. In the St. Louis Cardinals 13-4 win, Albert Pujols home run was one of them.

On this night it was Albert Pujols hitting a ball out of Great American Ball Park.  That's not it, he's done that 21 times now since the building opened in 2003.  It was the Cardinal great's 15th home run of the season, 694th of his career.  It came off Ross Detwiler, who infamously became the 450th different pitcher to be victimized by Albert "The Great", that is one more pitcher than Barry Bonds clobbered.   Former Red and current Cubs' broadcaster Ryan Dempster is in Pujols book eight times.

Detwiler grew up in St. Louis watching Pujols play.

"Obviously, his career speaks for itself," Detwiler said.  "All the numbers are better than any thing I've seen in person.  I was pretty unbelievable. He's been so good for so long.  The ball jumps off his bat quite a bit."

The Reds' losing pitchers faster than they are losing games signed Chase Anderson to start the game.  Anderson has been in the minor leagues all season.  He had ties to the Bell family as the Reds' manager's brother Mike, was the director of Arizona's player development when Anderson broke into the big leagues.

Anderson opted out of his minor league contract and has only pitched two innings in the last month.

"I felt good. My velo was right there," Anderson said. 

Tyler O'Neil took his 11th home run into the second deck in left field after Anderson had an easy first inning.  Pujols and Corey Dickerson hit singles.  Catcher Andrew Knizner walked to load the bases  Tommy Edman doubled two runners home. 

"It all started with O'Neil," Anderson said. "It was an off speed pitch.  It wasn't a bad pitch.  I think it was execution.  I feel like I still can.  I just have to perform and show that I can still do it." 

Bell took Anderson out in favor of Detwiler.  Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan singled before Detwiler struck out Triple Crown threat Paul Goldschmidt out and popped up Nolan Arenado.

Pujols homer made the score 8-0.  

Cardinal starter Miles Mikolas was cruising as his teammates built the lead, allowing singles to Donavan Solano and Kyle Farmer in the first four innings.

That changed in the fifth.

TJ Friedl hit a long home run to right, his third.  One out later Stuart Fairchild hit his fourth home run of the season into the upper deck in left.  Mikolas walked r Moran.  Rookie catcher Chuckie Robinson belted his first career home run also in the left field upper deck. 

"It was awesome, man.  I hit it and knew it was out," said Robinson, who gave the ball to his mother after the game.  "When I hit it I kind of blanked out a little bit and the boys in the dugout were really excited for me, which was cool."

"I was in an 0-2 hole.  I had to battle back for that one. I got a pitch to hit.  A family from my hometown caught the ball, Ironically," said Robinson who hails from Danville, Illinois.  "The were on the way to bring the ball back to my mom.  It was her first game to see me play since, I've been up.  They brought the ball to my mom.  It was an awesome experience."

After Jonathan India extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single.  Chris Stratton was summoned from the Cardinal bullpen.  He walked Jake Fraley but Farmer struck out and Solano grounded to Pujols at first.

The Cardinals got the all four runs back with the aid of an error.   Reiver Sanmartin walked Nottbaar to open the inning.  Donovan hit a potential double play ball to Solano.  The ball slipped from his hands and put runners at second and third.  Goldschmidt grounded Hunter Strickland's first pitch right to Farmer at short.  Arendado followed with a two-run double in front of O'Neil's second home run of the game.

After a rain delay of 36 minutes, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol emptied his bench over the final three innings.  

The Reds manager David Bell gave infielder Alejo Lopez the ball to get the Cardinals out in the ninth.  Corey Dickerson hit his fifth home run but Lopez got three quick outs to finish the inning.

The lost put the Reds' tragic number at 11.  Any comibination of Cardinal wins or Reds losses that total 11 eliminates the Reds from NL Central Division contention.

Noah Syndergaard Stays Perfect Against The Reds In Series Opener Nick Castellanos Returns

 

 

Edmudo Sosa drove in three runs to stake the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-3 win over the reeling Reds and back Noah Syndergaard's dominace over Reds' hitters.

Sosa put the Phillies in front in the third inning with two outs with a bases loaded single off Mike Minor, who is looking for his second win of the season.

The third inning two-out rally erased the Reds' 2-0 lead forged in the bottom of the second inning off Syndergaard.

Albert Almora Jr. hit an inning opening double.  Matt Reynolds, who was a replacement for late scratch Jonathan India, singled sharply to left field with Almora stopping at third.  Aristides Aquino lined out hard to Sosa at third base.  Jose Barrero struck out as Reynolds stole second.  Michael Papierski singled them both in.

The Phillies put together a two-out rally of their own.

Bryson Stott opened with his second single of the game in the third.  With one out Alex Bohm forced Stott at second.  J.T. Realmuto singled.  Former Red Nick Castellanos hit an RBI single on an 0-2 pitch.  After Jeas Segura walked Sosa's single put the Phillies on top.

"Mike got ahead 0-2 on Casty (Castellanos) and then just left one out over the middle.  It seems like a couple pitches a game make a difference for him," David Bell said.

In the fifth Segura doubled with two outs and Sosa doubled him home.

Syndergaard handled the Reds over the seven innings.  He came into the game 5-0 lifetime against the Reds with a 2.11 ERA. On May 2, 2019, Syndergarrd shut out the Reds 1-0 at Citifield.  His home run was the only run of the game.

The right hander allowed just three singles after Papierski's single until Jake Fraley belted his fourth home run of the season to the opposite field to open the eighth.  

The blow ended Syndergaard's night after seven plus innings, allowing three runs on eight hits.  He struck out six but insued no walks.

"Syndergaard threw strikes," Bell said. "He got a lot of first pitch outs.  It made it easier on him.  He really pounded the strike zone.  We hit some balls hard right at guys but that's not taking anything away from him."

David Robertson and Seranthony Dominguez finished up for the Phillies. 

Minor lost his 10th game against one win.  He pitched five innings and allowed 10 hits and four runs.  The bullpen threw four scoreless frames.

"I thought I made decent pitches tonight; a lot of broken bats, a lot of ground balls in the holes," Minor said.  "They have a good lineup, a good team.  They grinded out some at bats."

Bell believes that Minor is so close to coming all the way back from the injury that delayed his season.

"Minor used all four of his pitches.  He had a couple innings where he was pitching well.  He got a couple pitches in the middle part of the plate," Bell said.

The Bottom Of The Reds Batting Order Tames Cubs Prevents A Sweep

 

Jose Borrero and Austin Romine broke a 5-5 with consecutive run scoring hits to stake the Reds to a 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.

The bottom third of the Reds batting order drove in six runs to tame the Cubs and salvage the third game of the three-game series that included the "Field of Dreams" game.

Justin Dunn was touched for three home runs and four doubles in 3 2/3 innings.

Patrick Wisdom followed Nico Hoerner's double with his 21st home run of the season in the second inning to put the Cubs in front, 2-0.

Aquino hit two home runs against the Cubs on May 23 but has not connected until he hit a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs starter, Keegan Thompson. and now has four home runs on the season. Three of his four home runs came against the Cubs.

"I didn't think about the last time I hit a home run," Aquino said.  "I went to the plate to enjoy the game and be successful.  I've been trying to make adjustments to do that."

Thompson walked Donovan Solano and Albert Almora Jr. in front of Aquino's blast to left.

"It was a big home run in the game," David Bell said. "It was big also because it let Aquino feel good about himself.  It was the same for Barrero for a young player to contribute to a win, goes a long way."

Dunn could not contain the Cubs.

"I was most upset about that," Dunn said.  "We got the lead and I gave it up but the guys picked me up.  It was a good team win."

Zach McKinstry doubled for the second time with two outs in the fourth, when Yan Gomes launched his sixth home run of the season.  Christopher Morel belted his 11th into the right field stands to put the Cubs back in the lead.

Reiver Sanmartin gave up singles to Nelson Velazquez and Ian Happ before Kyle Farmer retired Seiya Suzuki on a slow ground ball to third.

Two singles and a balk set up the Reds' tying run.  Austin Romine blooped a single with one out.  Jake Fraley's second hit of the game was slapped through a vacnat left side of the Cubs' infield.  Anderson Espinoza commited a balk.  Pinch hitter Alejo Lopez hit a ground ball to Hoerner at short.  Fraley was thrown out at third as Romine scored.

The Reds broke the tie in the fifth.  Solano singled with one out.  Almora Jr. walked.  Barrero was credited with a double on a hit to left that scored Solano.  The throw to third was cut off and Barrero reached second.  It was later changed to a single and second on the throw.  Romine followed with a double to the gap in right center to put the Reds up by three.

Joel Kuhnel pitched two scoreless innings to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Hunter Strickland came in for the eighth and created some drama.  Wisdom's slow roller turned into and infield hit.  Strickland struck out McKinstry but put the tying runs on base with walks.

David Bell had to go to Alexis Diaz, who fell behind Velazquez 2-0 before rebounding to strike him out.  That brought Reds nemisis, UC grad, Ian Happ, who has 25 home runs in his six seasons against the Reds. Diaz struck him out swinging."

"To come into that spot and not give up a run is special," Bell said.  "You expect to give up a runa sn we still hold the lead but to completely shut it down is really special. I think it is tough for any pitcher to get five outs to end a game.  He looked comfortable doing it and it wasn't easy."

Ian Happ and Franmil Reyes Hit Homers To Lift Cubs Over Reds

 

Ian Happ continued his career long assault against the Reds and Franmil Reyes joined him to drive in six runs combined to send the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Reds.

It was the Reds' fifth straight loss and gave the Cubs the series that started Thursday in Dyersville, Iowa.

Happ hit a three-run home run against Ian Gibaut and had an RBI single.  It was his 25th home run against the Reds, who watched him play baseball at the University of Cincinnati.

"I haven't seen the pitch Happ hit yet," David Bell said. "I heard it was really a tough pitch to hit.  You give him a lot of credit for getting the good part of the bat on the ball.  He just put it in play and he has a lot of power.  It was a slider, a pretty good pitch out of the strike zone.  That's really tough to do."

The Reds started the scoring against Cubs' starter Adrian Sampson in the first inning.  Jake Fraley doubled on a close play to open the inning.  Kyle Farmer delivered him with a one-out single.  The Reds loaded the bases on a pair of walks but Aristides Aquino struck out swinging.

Reds' starter Graham Ashcraft cruised through three innings.  The Cubs woke up in the fourth.  They got an opening when Seiya Suzuki reached on a throwing error by Jose Barrero.  Franmil Reyes, who was dumped by the Guardians last month, belted a 98 MPH slider into the Cubs bullpen in right. It was his 10th home run of the season.

"Reyes hit a slider down and away " Ashcraft said. "Maybe we should have pitched" him, hard up and in.  He is a big strong guy.  I gave him a pitch at his bat speed and he did what he did with it."

Chicago extended the lead in the fifth.  Nick Madrigal hit a bad hop single to short.  Ashcraft walked Willson Contreas.  Ian Happ slapped a single to right to plate Madrigal.

Fraley opened the bottom of the fifth with his third hit an infield single.  Nick Senzel drew a 3-2 walk.  Farmer hit a hard ground ball past a diving Nico Hoerner for his second RBI single of the game. 

Ashcraft got the first out in the seventh but walked Madrigal.  David Bell brought in Ian Gibaut to the mound. Contreras singled to set up Happ's 10th home run of the season.

Ashcraft turned in a quality start but saw his record drop to 5-3.  He pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, three earned on six hits and three walks.

"Ashcraft had good stuff," Bell said. "Maybe the best sinker he's had.  He got a ton of ground balls.  If he continues to do that there a lot of good things ahead."

Ashcraft feels like he's getting better.  He was pitching in front of his grandmother and grandfather who was celebrating their 62 wedding anniversary.

"I think I pitched better than the line suggested. I felt like I was able to control the four seam and two seam tonight.  I got a lot of ground balls a lot of soft contact," Ashcraft said.

Sean Newcomb picked up the win by relieving Adrian Sampson in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and no outs.  Newcomb struck out the heart of the Reds order, Joey Votto, Donovan Solano and Matt Reynolds to keep the Reds at two runs.  He walked two but struck out two in his second inning of work.

Contreras' 17th home run in the ninth off Ross Detwiler provided the final score.

The loss was the Reds fifth in a row.  The Cubs won its third straight game.  

Happ has now played 79 games against the Reds. He is hitting .302 with 25 home runs and 61 RBI against Cincinnati.

First base umpire and crew chief Marvin Hudson was overturned three times on calls.