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Message #: 31817
The Reds & Marlins entered this series with identical records and comparable levels of talent, which meant the games would likely be decided by other factors such as luck (which they were) and that's never good news for the Reds (and it wasn't).... Game 1: A solid performance by starter Tim Pugh, and the 2-0 lead he took into the late innings, were wasted when Pugh suddenly fatigued hard in the 7th (single, gopher) and the Cincy bullpen provided its usual hilarious hijinks. Dave Burba relieved Pugh and promptly issued 3 free passes, the last one coming with 2 outs and the bases loaded, and the 2-0 lead from moments earlier was suddenly a 3-2 deficit. The Reds loaded the bases ourselves in the top of the 9th, and although Chad Curtis missed a fairly easy split card chance (what else is new?) at a Grand Slam, he did at least manage a game-tying sac fly. A 1-out triple in the top of the 10th was wasted when the next batter promptly found a fatal gb(B) with the infield in. Finally in the bottom of the 11th the choke was completed with 2 outs and the bases empty when Jeff Shaw rolled on pinch hitter Manny Ramirez' card. There's an automatic HR there somewhere; the dice found it. Final score: one-run loss #12, just one away from the coveted N.L. lead! Which we would achieve in.... ======================================================================================== Game 2: A solid performance by starter Brian Williams was wasted because the CIN offense couldn't purchase a break against Florida's Kevin Brown. With 2 outs in the 3rd, a free pass and a timely wild pitch put a RISP and of course the next batter delivered the hit (a single) that was just long enough to score him. One frame later, a split-card gopher bite gave the Marlins a 2-0 lead. The Reds got on the board at last in the 7th when Reggie Sanders' solo homer negated the one Williams had permitted earlier, then we tied it in the 8th when a wild pitch plated a runner from third (who surely never would have scored otherwise) with 1 out, which negated the gift run Williams had donated earlier. But the Reds, already way over our break quota for the game by getting nearly as many as our opponent, would get no more. The leadoff batter in the bottom of the 8th discovered a surgical split card triple and certain defeat was only seconds away. Or was it? The next two batters were walked, not intentionally but helpfully -- so it seemed -- because the subsequent two batters each hit into force plays at the plate. With 2 outs Jeff Conine then rapped a routine grounder to Gold Glove caliber 2B Bret Boone. Who naturally watched it go between his legs into the outfield. The 3 batters who came to the plate in the CIN 9th then surrendered meekly. Final score: N.L. league-leading one-run loss #13. ======================================================================================== Game 3: Like most lefties who are foolish enough to take the mound against the Reds, Al Leiter was treated extremely rudely (at least that's the way the #1 offense in the N.L. SHOULD treat them) and left after retiring nobody and allowing 5 runs, the last 4 coming on Leiter's final pitch to Jerome Walton. Most teams would fold up after facing such a quick 5-0 deficit. And true to form, one of these teams did exactly that. Of course that team was the Reds. Brian Keyser began hemorrhaging runs immediately and, in conjunction with the Arson Squad, would give the Marlins 7 runs and 14 hits for the day. But for a rare change the #1 offense in the N.L -- knowing that a mere 5 runs would hardly suffice -- did not shut down entirely. When Jeff Shaw threatened to blow the lead sky high in the FLN 8th, ace arsonist Jeff Brantley took over and was in rare form. Very rare form, thankfully. He induced a DP to escape the jam in the 8th then put down the side in the 9th with only a minor deviation from perfection. Final score: 10-7. Brantley's stellar outing (1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs) earned him save #10 (against 7 blown saves) and reduced his ERA to a sparkling 5.31. Alan |
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