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Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL — 10 innings
Los Angeles 3
Cincinnati 1
W: R. Belisario (8-1)
L: S. LeCure (3-3)
S: B. League (4)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Bronson Arroyo pitched eight strong innings, giving up one run on six hits. He also drove in Cincinnati’s only run with a fifth inning single. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do it all alone.
–Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth.
NEGATIVES
–Sam LeCure — who has been so effective lately — gave away the game in the tenth.
–Reds only had four hits.
NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–Oh well, the Reds are really playing with house money at this point. After St. Louis lost earlier today, Cincinnati’s magic number dropped to one. A win tonight would have been the division championship clincher.
–Dusty Baker missed the game again tonight. Here’s hoping he’ll be back tomorrow.
–Magic Number:
Well as Chad alluded, the Reds are not going to go 0-11; and its doubtful the Cards will go 11-0 even if the Reds did tank out. So how much does what happened tonight really matter.
Since I’ve given him plenty of grief before, I will say I liked the SeAn Marshall I saw tonight even if his bottom line result wasn’t favorable.
I’m sure that 0-2 pitch to Kemp was intended to be a little lower and a little more inside; but, hey, Kemp is a world class guy just like our Joey Votto. He fisted off a pretty good pitch he looked to be basically fooled on. Those things happen. And it was better than giving up a salami on a hung curve ball.
The good part was that to all three guys he faced Marshall was focused and going right after them instead of dinking around around with his breaking stuff. When he showed the breaking stuff it was good and effective coming off the harder stuff. I hope he keeps this style up.
@OhioJim: Was at the game and it was a blast except the losing part. You are right about Kemp’s hit. Looks like he muscled it out to right field. Only complaint is they are going to need figure out what to do with Drew. Batting him 6th is not the answer. Play-off atmosphere tonight and the Reds organization really do a great job putting on a very entertaining evening – really fan friendly.
The bright side of tonight’s Reds loss, and living in southern Illinois, is that I got to see the Cubs walk-off against the Cardinals again on the FOX Sports Midwest replay, immediately following the game. Definitely cheered me up.
Wooooo!
Go Reds!
@OhioJim: Maybe they need to tell Marshall to pretend the bases are loaded every tine he goes to the mound
@Landon: So for you might it actually be more pleasurable if the Reds clinched via a Cardinales loss to the Cubs??? I was weighing the same prospect in my mind.
This loss is for the greater good. Whatever hurts the Cardinals is fine by me.
The only thing that bothers me is four stinking hits. Let’s gradually ramp up the offense and peak in October…
Here is hoping we get a strong outing tomorrow out of Travis Wood. He has shown glimpses of shutting down playoff quality teams and has had good outing against this team before..
Joey Votto popped up tonight. I’m speechless.
I wouldn’t say Lecure gave the game away. He didn’t make Votto throw the ball to second on the sac attempt and the ball didn’t hit the first batter. Votto and Marshall share in the blame (and the offense of course).
I didn’t see the play (it’s not on video) but Speier said Joey was too aggressive and should have taken the easy out with a fast runner on first. Joey’s very aggressive about trying to get the lead runner on bunts, a little too much so sometimes.
@AnnapolisHoosier: The hit batsman call was probably a call made by Joe West based on something he heard as much or more than anything he saw (unless the ball suddenly changed direction, speed, or spin).
West must have been pretty sure because the batter wasn’t trying to sell it which might have influenced some umps if they had any doubt.
Hanigan did not really raise any question at all; he may have heard or seen the same thing as West. So while it looked like a missed call on the TV shot we were shown who knows.
Not that there is any shame in giving up a hit to Kemp, but I honestly don’t understand why you throw an 0-2 pitch trying to get a jam shot. This is actually a general thing I have with the Reds catchers. Very often an 0-2 pitch is called for in tight. Obviously you have to do that sometimes, but I’d much rather see 0-2 pitches that can’t be hit. Marshall could throw a curve ball in the dirt, for example.
All that said, I’m happy the Dodgers won, honestly. Anything that works towards the Cards not getting in the playoffs, I like it.
Ohio Jim is probably right that the pitch was meant to be lower and more inside. Marshall only said that the pitch was meant to be out of the strike zone and it was.
@OhioJim: For the Reds to not win the division, they would have to lose 11 games in a row, and the Cards would have to win 8 in a row (if the Reds lose their last 3, the Cards win their last 3 automatically as they are playing).
Based on my math, we’re looking at probably a 1 in 750,000 chance the the Reds don’t win the division. That’s about the same chance that RedForever is going to become a hard-core optimist.
Thanks for the shout-out! LMAO! All in good fun, guys…all in good fun!
Wooooo! Reds clinch today, on their own.
In my opinion the priority is now not letting the Cardinals reach the playoffs – it’s the best way to break the spirits of some arrogant Cardinals fans before the offseason. I’m a huge Reds fan but I’m fine seeing the Reds swept by the Dodgers if it helps the Dodgers, not the Cardinals, to win the Wild Card.
It’s nice that they don’t have to have the division clinching celebration with Dusty out of town. Hopefully he’ll be back and able to participate tomorrow, even if he isn’t able to manage the team.
Rooting for the Cubs to beat the Cards tomorrow, no problem with clinching that way. But would like to see the Reds win tomorrow, even with the Dodgers trying to catch the Cardinals. If the Reds get swept, then the red=hot Brewers – who have the best chance of catching the Cardinals – come in, and when does the losing stop ?
The Reds last 4 series are against good teams (if the Pirates can still be called that), and I don’t want to see them tank at the end of the season. Winning the division is a virtual certainty, and they could end the regular season badly and still turn it around in the playoffs, but just the same …
I’d like to see the losing stop with a solid series vs Pitt and a sweep of the Cardinals, and I’d be just fine with losing the next 5 games to LA and Milwaukee. Just saying.
I don’t want the Cardinals in the postseason. Or the Phillies.
I was at the game today. LOTS of fun. It obviously would have been a lot more fun if we had won (just so I could be there for the clinch like I was in 2010), but still just a great time. And yeah, the Votto throw to 2nd wasn’t even close. He didn’t have anything remotely resembling a shot at it. It was quite distressing.
The Dodgers are talking about possibly starting Kershaw on Sunday. That’s a surprise. I’m glad to see him back, but not on Sunday.
@Omri: Thanks for the report, Omri. Yeh Votto does that sometimes.
Lecture did not give the game away. The inept offense gave the game away. Score more than one run in 9 innings and they win that game.
Very difficult to do when you are opposing Joe Cy Nolan Sandy Blanton.
“Lecture”? Damn auto-correct.
Play the minor leaguers. They seem to generate more offense.
Thanks for ruining a wonderful night at the ball park with the family!!!
Even though the boys didnt win, it was great game UNTLL bunch of drunks
start yelling WOOOOOOO- even as we are losing!!! Stupid rally cry and
embaressment to the real fans!!!!!
Also, meant to say that the Phils went charging into the playoffs last year by sweeping the Braves, which allowed the Cards to make the playoffs and then knock off the Phils.