THE REDS HAD TO
COME BACK TWICE TO DEFEAT THE NATIONALS 5-4 ON SUNDAY.
6.6.10 BY:MEH ARROCKETTE
REDS AND ARROYO COMEBACK
TO BEAT NATS'
(Props to @pinklibrarybook
for the photoshopspiration)
Francisco Cordero
scares me like Freddy Krueger did when I was ten. Cordero blew his fourth
game of the season on Sunday afternoon, but also managed to steal the win
away from Bronson Arroyo. After the Reds came back for the second time
during Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals in the tenth inning,
Nick Masset recorded the second save of his career, and his first in the
National League. The Reds defeated the Nationals 5-4 to win the weekend
series, moved back into a tie for first place after a
Cardinal loss, and salvaged the road trip going .500 in six games
against the Cardinals and Nationals.
After Bronson Arroyo's last start against the Cardinals (4.1IP, 10H, 7ER,
5BB), he was due to pitch the gem that he did. Arroyo went eight innings and
allowed only two earned runs on six hits while striking out five. Arroyo
always has his fair share of horrible starts each season, but his short term
memory and professional demeanor usually propel him over his opposition five
days later.
Placing his last start behind him, Arroyo pitched well enough to receive the
win, but left the game in the eighth inning trailing the Nationals 2-1.
Attempting to award their teammate with a win, the Reds' offense put
together three runs in the top of the ninth. With the National League's save
leader Matt Capps (18) on the mound, Drew Stubbs doubled with one out.
Pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes then doubled Stubbs in and pinch-hitter Scott Rolen
hit his 14th home run of the season to make the score 4-2.
“You can’t ask for more than the team three spot in the ninth when you’re
down 2-1 after throwing eight innings,”
Arroyo said.
“It was good win for the team.”
Francisco "Coco Krueger" Cordero entered the game during the bottom of the
ninth inning attempting to record his 17th save of the season. Cordero
walked Josh Willingham to begin the inning. One out later Ian Desmond
singled, both runners stole as Alberto Gonzalez struck out, and pinch-hitter
Michael Morse tied the game with a double to right-center.
“It’s always easy to do something again when you’ve done it before,"
Johnny Gomes said.
"We’ve won some games in last at-bats. We know we have that ability."
The spunky Reds wasted no time coming back. During the top of the tenth
inning Jay Bruce and Lance Nix singled. Drew Stubbs then notched his third
hit of the game with a two-out RBI single giving the Reds the lead once
again. Nick Masset allowed a hit and a walk during the bottom of the tenth,
but got the job done, as the Reds
beat the Nationals 5-4.
“Nix said it best,"
Dusty Baker noted.
"We’re a bunch of fightin’ fools.’ That’s what we were today.”
The Reds lead the NL in numerous offensive categories at home (166 runs, 45
homers, .291 average, .487 slugging percentage) as they begin their longest
stay at GABP of the year on Monday. They will play four games against the
Giants (luckily avoiding two-time Cy Young winner
Tim
Lincecum), three games against Kansas City (will likely see the unlucky
Zack
Greinke Saturday), and three games against the Dodgers. Here are this
week's probable pitching match-ups against the Giants and some interesting
tidbits from @juergenscj:
MON: Johnny Cueto (5-1, 4.09) vs. Barry Zito (6-2, 2.78) @ 7:10pm
TUE: *Sam LeCure (1-1, 3.97) vs. Matt Cain (4-4, 2.36) @7:10pm
WED: Aaron Harang (4-5, 5.43) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (4-4, 2.63) @7:10pm
THU: Mike Leake (5-0, 2.22) vs. Todd Wellemeyer (3-5, 5.72) @ 12:35pm *Homer Bailey comes off the 15-day disabled list and
could pitch.
-Giants are the second worse team in the league in free passes (2.9 per
game) -Giants
have the second stingiest difference in the league (3.5 runs per game)
-Giants are the third worst team in base on balls allowed (4 per game)
-Giants are the third best in the league in striking out (6.7 per game)
-Giants have the best hits allowed in the league (7.2 per game)
-Giants' hurlers lead the league in K's (8 per game)
During the Cardinal's 4-3 loss to the Brewers on Sunday night, Albert Pujols
hit a kid. A young Cardinal fan poorly attempted to catch Pujols' sixth
inning solo-shot, resulting in the line-drive home run catching him in the
chest. Despite acquiring a spectacular souvenir, a fantastic bruise/story to
go with it, and air time on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, the kid continued
to cry. Like his favorite team, he complained. The Cardinals gave the kid an
Albert Pujols bat as his father posed him for cell-phone snapshots instead
of teaching him how to correctly catch a baseball. Watch the video
here.
