March 31, 2011

Game 1: Brewers 6, Reds 7

Team123456789RHE
Brewers (0-1)310010100690
Reds (1-0)1001001047121
W: Ondrusek (1-0) L: Axford (0-1)

Boxscore

Hernandez is greeted at the plate after his walk-off home run to start the 2011 season

Yes. That is the Cincinnati Reds team I grew to know and love from 2010. Welcome back, boys of springsummer.

The Reds opened the season against the Milwaukee Brewers today. I’ll recount it to you as I recounted it to my 9-year-old son when I picked him up from after-school care.

Edinson Volquez started, and the first Brewers batter he faced hit a home run. The Reds were down 1-0. The second batter Volquez faced hit a home run. The Reds were down 2-0. By the time the first inning was over, the Reds were losing 3-0.

When it was their turn to bat, Drew Stubbs led off with a hit. A couple of batters later, Joey Votto drove him in with a sacrifice fly. The Reds were losing 3-1.

Volquez allowed another run in the 2nd, but then settled down, for the most part. The Reds were losing the whole game. Going into the bottom of the 9th, the score was 6-3.

Brandon Phillips led off with a single. Joey Votto followed with a walk. Scott Rolen came to bat and grounded to third base. The fielder went to tag Phillips, but missed, and Rolen was safe at first. Jay Bruce, MVP in training, came to the plate and struck out.

But the Reds still had two more outs left.

Jonny Gomes hit a deep drive that was caught on the warning track, but Phillips tagged up and scored. 6-4. Two outs.

Ramon Hernandez came to plate representing the winning run and hit a deep drive to right field. Somewhere, I could hear Joe Nuxhall screaming, “Get out of here, baseball!” And it did. The Reds won, 7-6.

Dang, that was a good game. I’d forgotten what I’d enjoyed so much about this team. And here it is, all back for the next half a year. I have a feeling it’s going to be a great year.

3 comments to “Game 1: Brewers 6, Reds 7”

  1. Scotty says:

    Great post. You summed it up well. It was such a roller coaster today, but in the end…that’s the Reds we have come to know and love. I think that is what I enjoy so much about this team. No matter the score, they aren’t out of it.

    I’m new to your blog. Do you post recaps of all the games?

  2. Zeldink says:

    We don’t post recaps of all the games–life gets in the way sometimes–but we do get to most of them.

    I’m glad you enjoyed it. I expect the rest of the season will be as much of a roller coaster, as well.

  3. chuck says:

    i like the fact that ramons hr went into the brewers bullpen. brewers picked to win. stick that in your bullpen!!! go reds