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Message #: 29508
1993 has been a difficult season for the Reds to say the least (mediocre talent, record-settingly rotten luck) but in this series -- though none of that changed -- we saw an important sign that things may finally be returning to the way they were in the good old days. The Reds are now once again competitive enough to have leads in the late innings to choke away, in our own inimitable fashion! Game 1: Cincy starter Tim Pugh had an outstanding day, permitting just 3 hits in 8 innings, but because our offense was in full GIDP and LOB mode, Pugh was down 2-1 thanks to a timely error following by a clutch hit (take note, Cincy chokers) which resulted in 2 totally undeserved runs. We tied it up in the 8th via 2 hits before any men were retired, but one of our many timely DPs terminated the rally. In the 9th we had a runner on second with 0 outs and *still* managed to erase him on our third and final DP of the game. In the bottom of the 9th, another event that harkens back so nostalgically to the "good old days": it took reliever Jeff Brantley just *one pitch* to achieve the "Perfect Sambito", the game-losing gopher off the bat of ex-Cincy backstop Jeff Reed, who had all 3 Pirate ribbies for the day. Final score: nobody chokes like the Reds (even when we pitch a 4-hitter), 3-2. ========================================================== Game 2: The Pittsburgh defense came to the Reds' rescue today, with 3 errors good for 3 unearned runs that helped us build a 7-1 lead for Bobby Ayala. Far too proud to accept such charity, Cincy proceeded to choke on even more x-plays than the Pirates did, and gave those 3 unearned runs back. Ayala, like Pugh a day earlier, had a strong outing (6 IP, 8 baserunners, just 1 earned run) but the unearned runs and typical Arson Squad shenanigans by the worst bullpen in the history of the majors turned our substantial lead into a close 9-6 final. Andre Dawson, a weak .230 hitter promoted to the cleanup slot for no apparent reason other than pity, responded with a home run and 3 RBI. John Roper, whose luck may be the worst of any Cincy pitcher (quite a feat!) earned a save by giving up a mere 2 runs in 3 IP and lowering his comical ERA to 8.16. ========================================================== Game 3: Tim Belcher's stats this year, particularly his astronomical amount of hits allowed, bear no resemblance to the quality of his card (now there's a surprise) but today he overcame his typical misfortune and gave up just 2 runs in 6 IP though he left with only a 2-2 tie. In a rare performance, the Cincy offense came through for Belcher as he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 7th and turned 4 hits in that frame into 3 runs and a 5-2 lead. With zero palatable options, the idiot Cincy manager turned back to Sambito Brantley to protect that exceedingly narrow 3-run cushion, and Brantley rewarded his manager's misguided confidence with a successful inning in the PIN 7th; of course he did -- it wasn't the final inning yet. And Brantley didn't choke in the bottom of the 9th either! That's because there wasn't one, thanks to what he did in the bottom of the 8th. As in the series opener, a timely blown-x choke by the Cincy defense opened the door a crack (and provided a fatal unearned run) but Brantley stormed right through, the critical blow being a 3-run gopher from our old friend Jeff Reed. Final score: nobody chokes like the Reds, 6-5. Reed's pair of gophers in this series matched his entire season's total for the first 106 games. Cincy fans fondly (until now) remember Reed as a light-hitting catcher who still managed to come through with many clutch hits when the far more talented players around him utterly lacked that ability so often. So it was not a shock that Reed would save his best games of the season to once again impress his former teammates and fans. Alan |
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