Game 19, 2012: Reds let one slip away via Angel Pagan

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com] [Mark Sheldon]

This post should be about the great games of Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey. About how the Reds found a way to start a home stand with a sweep of a quality opponent.

Instead, it’s about a blown save by Sean Marshall and the most heartbreaking loss of the year.

Baseball is a funny game like that. And I think back to how many times poor snake-bitten Homer Bailey has had a game in which he had B-plus or A-minus stuff, pitched good enough to get the win, and yet had it stolen from him late on something freaky (in this case it was Marshall’s hanging curveball).

I liked the Reds match-up against Vogelsong a lot coming into the game. And they collected 12 hits. Three of them belonged to Jay Bruce. Just one of those days from Bruce that we’ve seen so many times where he gets one hit and then seems to put together a big day.

You have to look at things big-picture during baseball season, because if you’re looking micro instead of macro you’re going to piss yourself off. Taking two of three games is nice, and starting home-stand with a quality series victory like the Reds did over the Giants is positive. With the Astros coming to town over the weekend the Reds have a chance to really get rolling.

Of course this is coming from the guy who was texting friends ‘they won’t be under .500 again this season’ after the win a few nights ago over Barry Zito and the Giants.

Highlights:

Jay Bruce 2-run home run (4) gives Reds 4-2 lead

Homer Bailey was very good

Angel Pagan crushes dreams

Scott Rolen home run (2)

Song that should be played at loud-speakers at a stadium near you: