I'LL DRINK TO THAT... - edeadstroke's Blog

edeadstroke's Blog

I'LL DRINK TO THAT...

Posted on March 7, 2019 at 01:43 AM.

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The Reds made it home from their 6 game road trip and are 6 and 3, they start a 10 game home stand, 4 vs MIL, 3 vs BAL, and 3 vs the Cubs.

Game 1

CIN - SP Mike Leake (0-0) vs MIL - SP Matt Garza

SP Mike Leake gets the start versus Milwauke, Leake went 7 innings last time out against the St. Louis with a no-decision. Things started off shaky for the Reds as,the Brewers would score early on Leake by scoring 2 in the top of the 1st and another run in the 3rd. But the Reds would get 1 run back in the bottom of the 3rd. Mike settled down in the top of the 4th, throwing a quick 1-2-3 inning. In the bottom of the 4th the Reds Jay Bruce went deep, the score was now 3-2, but the Reds still trailed. The Reds continued to hit the ball well and got a couple runners on, but with 2 out and Mike Leake's turn at bat, Manager Rocco had a tough decision. Still a little early pull his starting pitcher, but with the Reds having difficulties scoring runs what was Manager Rocco to do? Rocco gambled and sent Mike to the plate...and BOY! did it pay off, Mike Leake hit a 3 run shot to left field to give the Reds a 5-3 lead. Asked after the game about not lifting Mike for a pinch hitter, Manager Rocco replied, " Mike has always been a decent batting pitcher with some pop, so I just went with my gut feeling and left him in there, and he made me look good." Mike had 5 homers with Cincinnati before being traded to the Giants, he only managed 1 more while away with other teams. Hopefully being back in Cincy, Mike will find his batting grove, a good start so far. (I actually had stop to check my difficulty settings to make sure I was still on All-Star, I was!) Mike would end up throwing a complete game allowing no more runs, and the Reds would tack on two more runs, 1 in the 6th another in the 7th (maybe our inability to score runs is about to change...don't hold your breath).

Game 2

CIN - SP Tim Adleman (0-0) vs MIL - SP Junior Guerra

Manager Rocco decided he would give his top of the rotation guys an extra day of rest as early in the season the starts had had back to back starts over the last 10 games and fortunately Manager Rocco had Tim Adleman up from Louisville because of our Roster Rotation Program. Tim got his debut in 2016 for the Reds, starting 13 games, going 4-4 with a 4.00 ERA. Tim did real good, by throwing 6 inning and allowing 1 run in the top of the 5th, whiich Cincy got right back in the bottom of the 5th. Adleman left in a 1-1 tie. RP Tony Cingrani would throw a good 7th. SP/LRP Bronson Arroyo would come in in the 8th, with the score being tied Manager Rocco wanted a pitcher who could go a few extra innings without tearing through his bullpen. Arroyo pitched a shut out 8th, but gave up a run in the 9th and the Reds would lose 2-1.

So our scoring whoas would return. Even our hitting fell flat with only 4 hits in the game.

Game 3

CIN - SP Matt Belisle (1-0) vs MIL - SP Zach Davies

The INJURY BUG would show its ugly self. In the first inning SP Matt Belisle would allow 2B Jonathan Villar to single to start off the game. Then 2B Hernan Perez, who is playing short, sent one right back to the mound hitting Belisle in the shin...OUCH! Perez reached first and Villar to second. Now, Manager Rocco had to scramble to his bullpen, Rocco wanted to send SP Anthony DeSclafani out to the mound, but being a Starter and needing a good amount of warm up time, Manager Rocco went with RP Michael Lorenzen as DeSclafani warmed up. Lorenzen was now facing Ryan Braun, Lorenzen got Braun to fly out to right, Viller advanced to 3rd and Perez stayed put at 1st. 1st baseman Eric Thames was up next, Lorenzen started of by getting it to a 1 and 2 count, but hung a change up that Thames deposited into the right field stands for a 3 run homer.

Lorenzen would finish the 1st and come back out to pitch the second as DeSclafani still wasn't fully ready. In the 3rd DeSclafani would finally make his appearance and promptly gave up 2 more runs. DeSclafani would settle down and the Reds would claw and scratch their way back to a 4-5 score, with the Brewers still leading. But the BrewCrew would add one more in the 7th and that was all they would need. Reds lose 4-6, and are down 1-2 in the series. Need to scrounge a win in the finally game badly. (Also in Injury news, Shohei Ohtani, Cincinnati's AAA Japanese prospect experience an shoulder tightness in his start and would have to leave early, expecting Shohei to need to take 1-6 days his next scheduled start could be pushed back.)

AAA call up, utility player, Hernan Iribarren (once in the Brewers organization from 2002 to 2010, making brief Majors appearances in 08 and 09), would get his first start of the year for the Reds in left field. Iribarren played in 24 games for the Reds in 2016, but has been bouncing around from clubs in the minors since 2010. Hernan joined the Reds organization in 2014 and has been a mentor to many of the Reds players who have made the bigs. Manager Rocco expressed, " Hernan is a good guy, always laughing and joking, he has not had an easy pro-ball career, but he just keeps plugging along. I am happy to see him up here (Majors) even if it is just a short time). Hernan went 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Game 4

CIN - SP Homer Bailey (1-1) vs MIL - SP Taylor Jungmann

With the Reds relying on SP Homer Bailey to get a win and a series tie, the pressure was on. Bailey did not disappoint, (Brewers fans) as he gave up a 1st inning home run to Ryan Braun. Ownership really dislikes this guy, Braun. It would remain a 1 to nothing game until the bottom of the 5th, when 2B Scooter Gennett, once a Brewer, would gap one into left center and score 3B Travis Shaw, also once a Brewer, from first. In the 6th, LF Andrew Benintendi would leave the yard with a solo homer to right. SP Homer Bailey finished pitching 7 innings allowing just the one run. RP J.J. Hoover would pitch the 8th striking out the side. Reds CF Drew Stubbs would blast one to center field and give the Reds a 3 - 1 lead. Then CP Jonathan Broxton, (guess what...once a Brewer too) would come in the 9th and record his 5th save of the season.

Other than the couple homers, the Reds bats were okay, getting 8 hits but nothing really exciting.

The Reds are off for a day, then inter-league play starts for the Reds as the host the Baltimore Orioles for 3 games. The Orioles are 4 and 6 early in the season.

Until next time, REDS FANS, have a good night.