Game 87: Reds 10, Braves 5
By
Amanda
Posted at 9:52 am
Oh happy day! The Reds put the smack down on the Braves in the second inning for the big cathartic 10-5 win last night.
Eric Milton was rotten, allowing five runs (all earned) on six hits and two walks through six and one-third innings. Milton was so solid there for a minute, but he gives up a couple homers and now it seems like he's resigned himself to his former infamy. Can someone get his head on straight, please?
David Weathers took over in the seventh and eighth. He allowed--you might want to sit down for this--ZERO runs on two hits. Holy David Weathers! Eddie Guardado finished it off, putting up a hitless ninth.
What a night, what a night. Ryan Freel went 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Adam Dunn and Rich Aurilia each had two RBI, but only one of them did it with the home run. Dunn's came on a single in the second inning with runners in scoring position. Again: holy David Weathers!
There are so many people to thank, I'm sure I'm going to miss someone. Thanks to Jason LaRue for pinch running (and later contributing an RBI) when David Ross pulled his abdominal muscle and had to leave the game. Thanks to Dewayne Wise for taking over for Ken Griffey, Jr. when the risk of letting him play outweighed the potential benefit of having him in the line-up. Thanks to Brandon Phillips for being his spunky self. Thanks to Austin Kearns for being easy on the eyes.
The win brings the Reds' record to 45-42 and finally breaks that season-high six game losing streak. Tonight we send Aaron Harang out to deal with John Smoltz at 7:05 p.m.
David Weathers doesn’t get off that easy. He did allow an inherited runner to score, something he seems to be very fond of this season. But, a win is a win. And it beats the David Weathers out of the David Weathers that we’ve been seeing from this David Weathersy team for the last week.
Freel: Back to doing what he does best, manufacturing runs with his feet – Swipes a base, scores when the throw gets away from the fielder.
Dunn: Continuing to benefit from seeing better stuff to hit while opposing pitchers experience the sense of foreboding that comes with being able to glance over to the on-deck circle and see KGJ waiting there.
Wise: I have absolutely zero scientific basis for the following prediction – but I think that before the season is over with, DeWayne is going to uncork an incredible throw from the outfield to nail a runner at the plate and save a game for the Reds. Just a hunch of mine. The guy does have a cannon for an arm, I’ve seen that. So if it happens, remember that you heard it first right here on RHM.
John (HMZ)