Game 19: Reds 11, Brewers 0
By
Amanda
Posted at 5:40 pm
The Reds won today over the Brewers by the opposite of the ridiculous score they lost by yesterday to finish out the four-game series with three wins.
Aaron Harang, working on three-days rest to make an emergency early start after Eric Milton was scratched for knee problems, notched the first complete game by a Reds pitcher of the 2006 season. He allowed zero runs on five hits through nine innings. That's gotta help balance out that opening day debacle a bit.
The defense was strikingly on today, with Edwin Encarnación making at least three impressive defensive plays at third and Quinton McCracken a good catch or two in center field. Web-gem-worthy defense on a day when Ryan Freel isn't even in the line-up can only help the Reds' cause.
Eleven runs sounds pretty good for the offense, but they were helped by thirteen walks and three hits-by-pitch. In addition to the 11 runners who crossed the plate, 15 more were left on base. Only three of the Reds' runs came on home runs today, all from a two-out homer by Brandon Phillips. All-said-and-done, Phillips would contribute four runs, while Austin Kearns and Encarnación contributed three apiece.
The win brings the Reds' record to 12-7. Tomorrow they visit the Washington Nationals at 7:05 p.m. Elizardo Ramirez takes the mound for the Reds to face Livan Hernandez for the Nationals.
The shutout is Harang’s first since 2004. and today was the first time in his career that he’s started a game on three days’ rest.
In the third inning of today’s game, the Reds unveiled manager Jerry Narron’s nifty new strategy for manufacturing a run – which consists chiefly of standing around scratching your, um, ear, while the opposing pitcher digs himself deeper into trouble. Lopez, Aurilia, Dunn, and Kearns executed the strategy to perfection, drawing consecutive walks, with Kearns doing it with the bases loaded to force in Lopez with the Reds’ second run of the game.
Kearns also stole a base, and took one for the team, getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run during the Reds’ five-run uprising in the sixth inning. Overall he went 1-for-2 with two walks, a steal, a HBP, an RBI single, three RBIs total, and he gets my vote for the Reds’ offensive player of the game.
Can’t say enough about Harang though. Yesterday these guys hit five dingers against us and today they only got five hits, and got a runner to third base just once the whole afternoon.
The Cardinals lost, and Pujols took the 0-for-4 collar!
HMZ (John)
As I recall, Kearns was HBP twice. I was very irritated at the Brewers’ pitcher both times. We don’t need no one breaking Kearns, Arroyo-dammit!
Yes. The fact that he didn’t get hurt was a Bronsonsend.
I pray Arroyo will watch over Kearns an all our guys this season. Anyone who messes with them: may Bronson have mercy on their souls.
Yeah. Too bad we don’t play the Brewers again for awhile. You’re right, they plunked Kearns twice, in consecutive at-bats. Also a guy in ASBCR who saw the game said the HBP of LaRue looked intentional to him. Since the guy used to play professionally, I’m inclined to believe him. So there’s reason to think a few of the Brew Crew might be put in the dirt next time around.
Naw, Reds pitchers don’t do that. Even when they really, really ought to.
…and I for one honestly believe that’s one reason they get smacked around the way they do. Know how Clemens is said to own the inside part of the plate? Reds’ pitchers don’t own any part of the darn plate. They need to learn to play some chin music once in awhile.
John (HMZ)