Boxscore

Last night was the first #RedsTweetup game for the Cincinnati Reds, but the Reds lost badly to the Washington Nationals. I’m not sure what the Reds’ record is for these tweetup events, but I don’t remember the team winning either of the two I attended last year. Last nights’ loss could be seen coming from a mile away, though.

Mike Leake was the starter for the Reds, and the fact that he didn’t allow 6 runs in the first inning surprised me. He pitched horribly, allowing just 3 and getting lucky that some hard-hit balls just missed leaving the park. Leake did the reverse of a quality start, allowing 6 runs in 3 innings instead of 3 runs in 6. He allowed a run in each of his innings.

After that, the game was pretty much over. Six runs is hard to come back from, especially when the bullpen allowed a 7th run in the 4th.

The offense did threaten to make the game interesting. They loaded the bases twice. In the fifth inning, both Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen failed to deliver. And in the 8th, pinch-hitter Chris Heisey popped out.

The team has lost the opening game to this series against a team that has dominated them so far this season. Mike Leake and Scott Rolen continue to struggle mightily. Leake with his 7.11 ERA and Rolen with his .174 average. If neither improves within the next week or two, expect a change for both of them.

The second game of the series is tonight at 7:10pm EDT. Mat Latos goes against Jordan Zimmerman for Joey Votto Bobblehead night.

During the 2012 Opening Day festivities, Cincinnati Reds’ CEO Bob Castellini spoke confidently that Cincinnati would be host to an All-Star game.

There hasn’t been any news on that front since then, so Enquirer reporter John Fay asked for an update.

“I wish I had something to announce,” [Phil Castellini] said. “The National League gets it every other year. We’ve applied for ’15, ’17, ’19. It’s one of those hurry-up-and-wait things.”

Great American Ball Park opened in 2003, so after 10 seasons, it can no longer be considered a new stadium. During the rash of new stadiums over the last decade and a half, securing a new stadium has seemed to always come with a chance to host the All-Star game. But not so for the Reds, for some reason.

Since [2003], U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Minute Maid Park in Houston, Comerica Park in Detroit, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, AT&T Park in San Francisco, Yankee Stadium in New York, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., and Chase Field in Phoenix have hosted the game.

The St. Louis Cardinals have already hosted in their new stadium, and they opened after Great American. I’m not sure what gives, but it does seem like the Reds are being slighted. Hopefully, the news will be announced that they’ll be hosting in one of the years they applied for. At this point, it’s long overdue.

In a minor Cincinnati Reds historical item, The Hardball Times notes that it was 10,000 days ago today that Marge Schott became the majority owner of the Reds.

It was a tumultuous and, ultimately, mostly embarrassing time in the Reds’ history. Yes, they won the 1990 World Series, but that may have been despite Schott, given her reluctance to hire scouts and black players.

What’s interesting, is that Schott was initially a fairly popular owner. She’d make herself publicly visible during games and talk to fans. She kept the concessions prices low, and even kept the seat prices as low as she could. She always loved children and throughout her entire adult life was very active in charity foundations for children.

Mainly, I see a large streak of provincialism here; a streak many others share but those who are so provincial rarely have as much public stature of money that Schott had. Or if they are, they’re not so vocal about it.

Thankfully, those days of controversy where the team’s owner took up more headlines than the actual team are in the past. And it’s taken a while, but the Reds’ have rebuilt their scouting department into one that is supplying some mighty fine major league talent. The team has definitely come a long way since the ’80s.

Boxscore

I guess Mat Latos really is a better pitcher in May than April.

In his first start in May, Latos, who is horrible, just horrible, in his career in April, had his best start as a Cincinnati Red. He struck out a career high 11 over the course of 6 innings, allowing no runs, 2 hits and 3 walks. Plus, he did all this while pitching with the dreaded flu-like symptoms.

“I was not feeling good at all this morning,” he said. “I woke up throwing up. It wasn’t pretty.”

Latos was still feeling queasy when he took the mound. It didn’t help that the first inning lasted a long time.

“I thought I was going to throw up a couple of times,” Latos said.

Eww. That would’ve been gross. I do wonder if that’s ever happened on a pitching mound in the middle of a game. That would certainly get you on SportsCenter.

The Reds’ relievers have been lights out lately, having pitched 21 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball. They were no different today. After taking over for the ailing Latos after the 6th, they continued the shutout and preserved the win.

The offense was good, too, and got off to an early start. Joey Votto drove in Drew Stubbs in the first inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starter Charlie Morton. Todd Frazier, who must have been starting instead of Willie Harris due to a clerical error, hit a home run in the second to make it 2-0. And then Drew Stubbs made it 4-0 with a home run in the 3rd.

The win puts the Reds one game back over .500 at 14-13. They take the series with the Pirates and will head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers tomorrow. Bronson Arroyo will go for the Reds with Yavani Gallardo starting for the Brewers at 8:10pm EDT.