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Message #: 32068
If this had been a playoff series the Reds would have won at most 1 of 4 as we were failing on nearly all cylinders nearly all of the time.... Game 1: A football game broke out, with the Reds immediately choking away the 4-run lead we amassed in the top of the first, then choked up 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th in an attempt to complete the job. Surprisingly, the attempt failed and the visitors won by the score of 13-10. CIN starter Brian Keyser lasted just 10 batters, suffering three gopher bites and leaving after turning the Reds' 4-0 lead into a 5-4 deficit with barely 1 inning of effort. Cincy hit for the cycle in a 6-run 4th and eventually built an even bigger lead (12-5) than the one which had been forfeited. Benito Santiago put together a 5 for 5 day at the plate, but the top performer (until he ran at top speed into a brick wall) was scrub reliever Tim Fortugno. He worked from the 2nd through the 8th innings, permitting 4 hits and 1 run over that span, and also went 2 for 4 with the bat including a double, a run scored and an RBI. Unfortunately Fortugno also worked into the 9th, when disaster struck in the form of 2 free passes, 2 doubles, a passed ball and some typical laughable relief from Dave Burba, who allowed 2 more of Fortugno's runs to score. He also allowed the tying run to get to the plate, but retired Ozzie Smith to end the game. Understandably, the official scorer did not see fit to award Burba a "save". SLN lefthanded starter Terry Mulholland was abused for 11 hits & 10 runs in 4 IP. =========================================================================================== Game 2: Kevin Jarvis made his season debut as Cincinnati's starting pitcher and found utter lucklessness at every turn. Three errors, 14 LOB by the Cincy offense (18 AB with RISP, 3 hits), non-hitting SLN pitcher Mike Moore driving in 2 runs, and much more. Moore, normally as bad of a pitcher as he is a hitter, won for just the 4th time in 18 decisions and lowered his ERA to a mere 6.90 with his fine outing against the luckless Reds in the one-sided 7-3 final, an outcome not quite in line with the fact that the Reds actually had more total bases and more baserunners (but far more clutch choking) than the Cardinals. With Jarvis fitting in so well by underachieving right out of the gate, the Reds will surely give him many more opportunities down the stretch. =========================================================================================== Game 3: Another SLN batting practice pitcher, Mike Harkey, had a tremendous day against the Reds by lasting 8 innings and allowing just 1 run. That run came in the top of the first and for a long time it looked as if that might be sufficient for CIN starter Brian Williams, who took a shutout into the bottom of the 8th. Then, after 1 out, HAL began to squeeze (walk, walk, walk, walk), depriving Williams of a well-deserved win, and the bullpen naturally gave up 2 RBI to the first batter it faced to make the score 3-1 and turned a win into an apparent loss with the clock winding down. SLN closer Tom Henke has had a fine 1995 campaign, but he reverted to his all-too-common Toronto form and the only "save" he earned today was saving the Reds from choking yet another game away. A pair of singles and a walk off Henke put 3 runners aboard in the 9th, but the Reds were also down to their final out in the process. In 12 AB with RISP today, the Reds managed a typically abysmal 2 hits. But pinch hitter Reggie Sanders picked a good time to come up with 1 of those 2, his bases-loaded single tying the contest. Then Eric Anthony led off the 10th with his second of 3 homers in this series, and the Reds escaped with a 4-3 win. St. Louis only collected 5 hits (to Cincy's 10) in 10 innings, but almost emerged with a victory. =========================================================================================== Game 4: Cincy's Mike Mimbs had scattered 8 hits and 3 runs through 8 innings and owned a 6-3 lead going into the dreaded bottom of the 9th. A pair of doubles quickly made it a 6-4 game, and even with a 2-run cushion remaining the Reds decided to concede defeat by summoning the always hilarious Andres Berumen from the bullpen. Sure enough, 3 pitches later the third double of the inning made it 6-5 and put the tying run into scoring position. Facing tough hitters Salmon & Lankford, Berumen inexplicably retired them both to achieve his first (and probably last) save in a Cincy uniform. Eric Anthony had the best series of his life (4 for 15 with 3 homers & 4 RBI) for the Reds, and is therefore a good candidate to be released shortly. Alan |
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