Game 57, 2011: Reds 4, Brewers 3

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com] [Brew Crew Ball]

Observations:

This was my favorite win of the year, and it was the biggest win of the year for the Reds in my opinion.

I watched the entire game, and as I watched I was completely astonished that the Reds were going to fall below .500 and they were really going to drop another game on the Cardinals (St. Louis was up on Tim Lincecum and the Giants at the time). Instead, the Reds leaned on a couple of heroes to help them gain a game on the Cardinals, and the night turned superb with a 4-3 victory that saw them take the series from the Brewers and gain a game on the Cardinals.

Shaun Marcum shut the Reds down for for the first two thirds of the ballgame. The Reds had two hits when Joey Votto singled in the 7th and Jay Bruce hit a home run into the Reds bullpen. I knew then that the Reds would have a shot in this thing, but I figured that they would have to do it off the Brewers closer in the bottom of the 9th, and that made me nervous because John Axford has been pitching so well.

In the 8th inning with the Brewers clinging to a 3-2 lead, Brandon Phillips got nailed with a pitch by Kameron Loe, and the next batter Joey Votto hit a Ruthian-type blast off the batter’s eye in centerfield that would give the Reds a 4-3 lead that you knew they wouldn’t let go of.

The crowd of 22 thousand plus was into the game all night and they were rewarded for their faith in the Reds. The Reds weren’t quite dead yet, a hand arose from the ground of the grave that has been dug for them for the past few weeks. Again on this night, there was life for the 2010 NL Central Champions and they’ve got room to keep fighting for a while.

Top Plays:

Jay Bruce homers off Shaun Marcum (17) to break up the shutout

Joey Votto orders a Venti! Extra foam!

Drew Stubbs can track it down in center

Cordero’s 300th lock down of his career

Potpourri:

-Coco Cordero became the 22nd man in baseball history to post 300 saves. How hard is it to believe that he is the active leader behind Mariano Rivera? When people get on Cordero, you realize he’s about as dependable as it gets.

-If you’re a Reds fan and you’re reading this post, or just a baseball fan; get your butt over to the All Star Ballot and vote for Jay Bruce to go to the MLB All Star Game 25 times.

Diamond Hoggers Song of the Game:
You only get one chance for Crowded House ‘Something So Strong’ and the time on that chance falls in July of 1987. Coincidentally two months before that, Eric Davis was murdering every National League pitcher much like young Bruce of the present day, minus the Crowded House. Enjoy this one!