PAINT THE TOWN REDS!
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce brought to Cincinnati what it had been missing for the past 15 years … a division title on a walk-off home run, to centerfield, in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Bruce was the first batter to the plate, then he accomplished every little kid's dream.
On the first pitch he saw from left-hander Tim Byrdak (2-2).
The home run gave the Reds a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros, along with the NL Central Division championship in front of 30,151 fans at Great American Ball Park Tuesday.
It was then time to celebrate like it was 1995 and Bruce was mobbed by his teammates at home plate.
"What a way to win this thing," Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I'm happy. The city is happy. Everybody's happy, let them party. I'm happy, too. As happy as a man can be.
"Jay will remember that for the rest of his life."
Not only do the 2010 Cincinnati Reds (88-69) have a flair for the dramatic at the finish, but they had to fight just to stay in the game.
Drew Stubbs made a game-saving catch, keeping runs away from the Astros in the top of the third inning.
On a 3-2 count, with one out, it seemed as if Carlos Lee was going to add to the Houston lead, but Stubbs had other plans.
The ball hit by Lee was a rocket to centerfield, but Stubbs leaped (with his head over the wall), rested one arm on the wall for balance, put his glove in the air and stole the ball just before it went over the fence near the 404 mark.
The Reds stayed in the game.
"That was awesome," Baker said of the catch by Stubbs. "That kept us in the ball game. I thought that ball was gone, but man Stubby, he looked like he had wings when he went up to get that ball. Maybe somebody had wings for him."
Scott Rolen made the fans at GABP jump to their feet in the bottom of the first inning when he hit a single that tipped-toed the third base line, scoring Stubbs with two outs. Rolen took second on an errant throw to first base. Rolen finished the night 2-for-3 with one walk and one RBI.
Houston (74-83) took the lead in the second.
In the Astros' second inning, Reds starting pitcher Edinson Volquez allowed three hits and two runs, allowing the Astros to take a 2-1 lead.
Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace began the inning with back-to-back doubles for Houston. Angel Sanchez was safe due to a fielders choice when Volquez threw Johnson out at third. Jason Castro singled in Wallace and Wandy Rodriguez sacrificed Sanchez from third for the second run.
That would be all for the Astros.
The bats of the Reds were just as chilly as the 55 degree temperatures in Cincinnati for the first five innings.
But then came the sixth and the Reds tied the game.
Orlando Carbera led off the bottom of the sixth with a base hit through the shortstop and third baseman. Cabrera's single was the second hit of the game by the Reds … but it wouldn't be the last.
After Wandy Rodriguez dominated the Cincinnati bats for five innings, the Reds broke through with a single to right field by Joey Votto following the hit by Cabrera. Rolen forced the bases loaded with a seven-pitch walk, brin ging Jonny Gomes to the plate.
Gomes battled and battled and battled in his 6th inning plate appearance, seeing 10 pitches, fouling off five in a row. But the at-bat ended with a fly out to the first baseman in foul territory near the Reds' dugout.
Gomes' at-bat softened Rodriguez for Brandon Phillips, who saw seven pitches, but tied the game with a single to the shortstop, scoring Carbera from third.
The Reds left opportunities on the bases, leaving the bases loaded sixth inning.
"When we left those bases loaded I was like 'man please don't let those come back and haunt us,'" Baker said.
Volquez (4-3) got the no decision, pitching six innings, allowing seven hits, two runs (two earned) with one walk. He finished with eight strikeouts and one wild pitch. Volquez has struck out 31 batters in his last four starts.
Arthur Rhodes and Nick Massett pitched a perfect seventh and eight inning, respectively.
In the eighth inning Rolen got on base with a one-out, single to centerfield, but he was left on the bases after consecutive outs by Gomes and Phillips, leaving the game uo to the Reds bullpen in the ninth.
In the ninth, it was Aroldis Chapman (2-2) who took the mound for the Reds in the tied game.
Chapman struck out the first two batters, and forced a ground out for the final out in the top half of the inning. Chapman used not only his 101 MPH fastball, but used his 84 MPH pitches for the final swinging strikes. His 13 pitches (eight for strikes) were good enough for his to gain the win.
GAME NOTES: This was Bruce's second career walkoff home run (5/31/08 vs. Atlanta off Manny Acosta) … Gomes has a career high 11-game hitting streak (15-for-46, .326 avg., 1 HR, 7 RBIs) … Phillips has hit safely in 7 of his last 9 appearances … This is the first division title for the Reds since 1995 … There were 7,786 walk up tickets sold before the game … Former Red Jeff Keppinger snapped an 0-for-9 skid in the fifth inning with a single … Game time was 2:51 minutes … Stubbs had his 27th stolen base of the season ... Dusty Baker has led three teams (Giants, Cubs and Reds) to the postseason as manager.
BOX SCORE
HOU 020 000 000 — 2 7 2
CIN 100 001 001 — 3 7 0
WP A. Chapman (2-2) 2.38 ERA
LP T. Byrdak (2-2) 3.49 ERA[[In-content Ad]]
Bruce was the first batter to the plate, then he accomplished every little kid's dream.
On the first pitch he saw from left-hander Tim Byrdak (2-2).
The home run gave the Reds a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros, along with the NL Central Division championship in front of 30,151 fans at Great American Ball Park Tuesday.
It was then time to celebrate like it was 1995 and Bruce was mobbed by his teammates at home plate.
"What a way to win this thing," Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I'm happy. The city is happy. Everybody's happy, let them party. I'm happy, too. As happy as a man can be.
"Jay will remember that for the rest of his life."
Not only do the 2010 Cincinnati Reds (88-69) have a flair for the dramatic at the finish, but they had to fight just to stay in the game.
Drew Stubbs made a game-saving catch, keeping runs away from the Astros in the top of the third inning.
On a 3-2 count, with one out, it seemed as if Carlos Lee was going to add to the Houston lead, but Stubbs had other plans.
The ball hit by Lee was a rocket to centerfield, but Stubbs leaped (with his head over the wall), rested one arm on the wall for balance, put his glove in the air and stole the ball just before it went over the fence near the 404 mark.
The Reds stayed in the game.
"That was awesome," Baker said of the catch by Stubbs. "That kept us in the ball game. I thought that ball was gone, but man Stubby, he looked like he had wings when he went up to get that ball. Maybe somebody had wings for him."
Scott Rolen made the fans at GABP jump to their feet in the bottom of the first inning when he hit a single that tipped-toed the third base line, scoring Stubbs with two outs. Rolen took second on an errant throw to first base. Rolen finished the night 2-for-3 with one walk and one RBI.
Houston (74-83) took the lead in the second.
In the Astros' second inning, Reds starting pitcher Edinson Volquez allowed three hits and two runs, allowing the Astros to take a 2-1 lead.
Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace began the inning with back-to-back doubles for Houston. Angel Sanchez was safe due to a fielders choice when Volquez threw Johnson out at third. Jason Castro singled in Wallace and Wandy Rodriguez sacrificed Sanchez from third for the second run.
That would be all for the Astros.
The bats of the Reds were just as chilly as the 55 degree temperatures in Cincinnati for the first five innings.
But then came the sixth and the Reds tied the game.
Orlando Carbera led off the bottom of the sixth with a base hit through the shortstop and third baseman. Cabrera's single was the second hit of the game by the Reds … but it wouldn't be the last.
After Wandy Rodriguez dominated the Cincinnati bats for five innings, the Reds broke through with a single to right field by Joey Votto following the hit by Cabrera. Rolen forced the bases loaded with a seven-pitch walk, brin ging Jonny Gomes to the plate.
Gomes battled and battled and battled in his 6th inning plate appearance, seeing 10 pitches, fouling off five in a row. But the at-bat ended with a fly out to the first baseman in foul territory near the Reds' dugout.
Gomes' at-bat softened Rodriguez for Brandon Phillips, who saw seven pitches, but tied the game with a single to the shortstop, scoring Carbera from third.
The Reds left opportunities on the bases, leaving the bases loaded sixth inning.
"When we left those bases loaded I was like 'man please don't let those come back and haunt us,'" Baker said.
Volquez (4-3) got the no decision, pitching six innings, allowing seven hits, two runs (two earned) with one walk. He finished with eight strikeouts and one wild pitch. Volquez has struck out 31 batters in his last four starts.
Arthur Rhodes and Nick Massett pitched a perfect seventh and eight inning, respectively.
In the eighth inning Rolen got on base with a one-out, single to centerfield, but he was left on the bases after consecutive outs by Gomes and Phillips, leaving the game uo to the Reds bullpen in the ninth.
In the ninth, it was Aroldis Chapman (2-2) who took the mound for the Reds in the tied game.
Chapman struck out the first two batters, and forced a ground out for the final out in the top half of the inning. Chapman used not only his 101 MPH fastball, but used his 84 MPH pitches for the final swinging strikes. His 13 pitches (eight for strikes) were good enough for his to gain the win.
GAME NOTES: This was Bruce's second career walkoff home run (5/31/08 vs. Atlanta off Manny Acosta) … Gomes has a career high 11-game hitting streak (15-for-46, .326 avg., 1 HR, 7 RBIs) … Phillips has hit safely in 7 of his last 9 appearances … This is the first division title for the Reds since 1995 … There were 7,786 walk up tickets sold before the game … Former Red Jeff Keppinger snapped an 0-for-9 skid in the fifth inning with a single … Game time was 2:51 minutes … Stubbs had his 27th stolen base of the season ... Dusty Baker has led three teams (Giants, Cubs and Reds) to the postseason as manager.
BOX SCORE
HOU 020 000 000 — 2 7 2
CIN 100 001 001 — 3 7 0
WP A. Chapman (2-2) 2.38 ERA
LP T. Byrdak (2-2) 3.49 ERA[[In-content Ad]]