Harper v. Bass. Bass is swallowed whole.

The smoke-grey bat was back this afternoon, and Bryce Harper took a piece from Anthony Bass that he can never have back.

On a day where Bass was particularly stingy, Harper still found a way to tally another impressive bomb. And not that I’ll be able to make this a habit, but I’ve caught them both live.

Here’s Bryce Harper career home run number two:

….And the bomb show resumes tomorrow against the Pirates. Erik Bedard, keep your head on a swivel.

If you missed it, it’s okay. It’s captured forever here for you to enjoy. And I wouldn’t worry, because you’ll be able to see about 600 more of these bad boys over the course of the next two decades.

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com]

I knew trailing 6-5 in the 9th, that if the Reds could get Joey Votto to the plate that they would win the ballgame.

All that needed to happen was Chris Heisey reaching base. By the way I had seen Votto going earlier in the day, it didn’t matter how hard Henry Rodriguez was throwing. His fastball was simply too straight to sneak past Votto three times with the bases loaded and the game on the line. And it was a big ballgame. The Reds again salvage a miracle contest on getaway day to improve their record to 10-1 in such contests.

For as many friends that want to text message me and tell me that “the Reds had no business winning this game,” I say in rebuttal that the Reds show what is at their core in these types of contests. Teams continue to let them off the hook in the final frame, and the Reds continue to scrap out tough wins that good teams find a way to win.

Now, I had no idea that Votto would hit a dramatic walk-off grand slam into the center field green off Rodriguez, but when he did it I knew in my heart that this was still Joey Votto’s team; and we are still watching one of the game’s finest hitters at work.

They were calling him ‘The Natural’ after the ballgame. And the Reds had the type of victory that salvages not only a series from a sweep but perhaps an entire season.

This wasn’t Joey Votto’s first county fair. In fact, he’s hit another big game-winning blast on another Mother’s Day. And that homer was also a defining moment in a special season of Reds baseball. Flash back to 2010, a day that many of you have probably forgotten. The Reds beat the Cubs that day a few years ago and then rolled to the division title.

Will 2012 have the a similar fate? I was just about to stop believing in my lofty prediction of a Reds NLCS appearance. And then Joey Votto put the Reds on his shoulders and told me not so fast.

It’s going to be a hot summer in Cincinnati, and things are just getting started.

Highlights:

Bryce Harper loses Bruce’s RBI double in the lights

JOEY VOTTO WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM

Votto hit two other home runs in this game. Here they are.

Heisey home-plate assist

Potpourri:

• I thought that this post by Joe Posnanski on the struggles of Albert Pujols really captured my feelings on him. I don’t feel Pujols is ‘close’. I don’t feel that he’s going to come out of this anytime soon. In fact, I think he’ll do what Adam Dunn did last season. When I saw Pujols’ messy swings last night on Sunday Night Baseball, I felt the same as Posnanski. Albert is a mess right now, and it’s a long way out of this woods.
• Thank you, Giancarlo Stanton.

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com] [Redleg Nation] [Brewers Mission 162]

Things started going badly in this one–again because of Homer Bailey’s inconsistencies.

He came out with 96 MPH stuff, some of the best velocity I’ve seen him have a in a long time and after retiring what seemed like the first two hitters of the game with ease, he came unraveled a little bit. He loaded the bases and Lucroy singled home a couple of runners and the route was on. It summed up Homer Bailey’s entire Cincinnati career. Come out with electric stuff, but for some reason you lack the ability to just get guys out and everything was labored.

After the Brewers loaded up the sacks again later in the game and Aramis Ramirez cleared then to make it 6-0, I decided it was time to head to the gym and prepare mentally for the loss. While I was on the elliptical for an hour I listened to Marty and when the Reds are losing Marty really loses focus. Bruce homered again to stretch his streak to 11 games. Brandon Phillips collected a few hits. But basically the Reds were blown out and failed to keep climbing above the .500 mark.

Making today’s afternoon delight of Johnny Cueto vs. Zach Greinke a huge contest.

Highlights:

Jay Bruce goes opposite field for his 10th home run of the year

Brandon Phillips, great grab over the shoulder

Full highlights

Potpourri:

-The Reds 8-3 loss in Milwaukee will mean little on May 8th of 2012 in baseball history. This will forever be the night that Josh Hamilton hit four home runs in Baltimore. It’s a more exclusive list than perfect games. And we are the franchise who traded that guy.

Although I briefly remember Mike Cameron and Carlos Delgado doing it; I remember Shawn Green and Mark Whiten’s historic nights well.

-Jay Bruce hit streak update: 11 games, 17 of 41 (.415), 7 HR, 14 RBI, 1.499 OPS during this streak.

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com] [Mark Sheldon] [Redleg Nation]

This was one of the most complete efforts on the year so far for the Reds. It probably starts with Bunny Arroyo’s fine outing on the mound. He somehow struck out nine Brewers, allowed only the mammoth home run to Ryan Braun and walked just one. He’s now 2-1 on the season with a 2.75 ERA. The Reds starters are getting it done, between Bunny’s fine effort and what Mat Latos did on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

The Reds pounded out another ten hits last night, with a lot of the damage coming in that big 4th inning. This is either the first time they’ve been a couple games over .500 this season, or it sure feels like it. It’s really no time to relax even though they’ve taken four of five and 11 of 16 games. This is the time to keep the foot on the gas and make a run.

How about Bruce’s monster home run last night? That was the longest home run I’ve ever seen him hit. He ran it with humility and didn’t show up Marco Estrada, but that thing traveled to Kenosha, WI. Couple of hits for Brandon Phillips, couple of hits for Ryan Hanigan, Zach Cozart homered; everyone really contributed.

Homer Bailey and Yovani Gallardo I’m a little worried about tonight.

Highlights:

Bruce hits a MONSTER 442-foot home run (9)

Bunny Arroyo was magnificent

Welcome back, Miguel Cairo

Zach Cozart solo bomb (3) ties the game

Joey Votto RBI Double gives the Reds the lead

Ryan Braun goes yard off Bronson Arroyo early, his 9th

Potpourri:

-Jay Bruce’s home run is worth checking out Hit Tracker for the first time this year if you haven’t.

-Behind Atlanta’s Michael Bourn, Bruce has the second longest active hitting streak in baseball now at 10 games. He’s gone 15 of 37, for a .405 average. He’s slugging 1.027 during the life of the streak. He’s got six homers, 12 RBI, and ten runs during it. Bruce had two 12-game hitting streaks as a rookie.

-Check out my buddy Dave here with Sal Fasano, on “What it takes to be a great catcher”. I remember when Jeff Pearlman told me that Fasano was one of the best pro-athletes he had ever met in terms of humility and just being a great human being. Great work on this Dave.

-Ended up owing my wife a trip to UDF for ice-cream when the Reds had that big inning. Where’s the Peach!?!?

I wasn’t alone, and I didn’t like Cole Hamels throwing at Bryce Harper.

I played the game for a long time, and I know how it’s played. I know the unwritten codes, the baseball laws, the brotherhood that you can only become part of and come to understand between the white lines at any level.

But I still think Hamels’ decision to plunk Harper in between the numbers in the young superstar’s Sunday Night Baseball debut was horseshit.

“I was trying to hit him,” Hamels said. Exactly why is that? Because you didn’t like the way he wore his eye black? What the Hell were you doing at age 17 and 18, Cole?

You haven’t made a habit of throwing at other rookies you’ve faced, let alone in their first at-bat facing you. So why did you take it upon yourself to do it to Harper? Because he’s really good and he knows it? Because it’s going to be his league here in about two or three years?

There really isn’t a good reason, and you wanting to knock him down a peg doesn’t suffice.

Props to Nats GM Mike Rizzo standing up for his boy, I loved that. Props to Jordan Zimmerman for retaliating against the source himself. Props to Harper for stealing a plate and telling Hamels to shove it in 90 quick feet from third to home and then later singling him to left field.

If Hamels was still paying attention late in the 9-3 drubbing when Harper turned a bloop into a double; that’s how the game is played. For as much crap as people give the 19-year old, Harper gets it. Hamels does not.

I apologize that it took a few days to get this up, but it was a holiday. And Adam Dunn delivered. Anyone out there catch this tweet?

It's Cinco De mayo. Adam Dunn's favorite holiday. He will go yard tonight

May 5, 2012 6:07 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@DiamondHoggers

Diamond Hoggers

He might be in a new city and a few years removed from when we knew him best, but we still know our Big Donkey.

If you missed it, below is video of Dunner ruining Jose Valverde’s heritage holiday this past Saturday. Yeah, he hit it where balls don’t belong in right field at Comerica Park.

I have illusions of grandeur–Dunn celebrating late into the night with a sombrero on and taking body shots of cheap tequila while disregarding the offered lime or lemon. Even if it didn’t happen, you know it probably should have happened.

How I miss Adam Dunn being in my big league city.

It’s a Saturday and the weather is beautiful. It’s Cinco de Mayo. Enjoy some cold ones and a ballgame. There’s a lot going on around baseball right now to enjoy.

Feel free to leave your thoughts and observations in the comments. It’s the best time of the week to be a baseball fan!

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com]

The Reds got a little bit of everything you want to see in a 6-1 Friday night win at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, and Zach Cozart all homered. The rest of the guys added five additional extra-base hits. Johnny Cueto went the distance to improve to 4-0 on the season, striking out four and walking no one.

The Cardinals lost to the Astros last night 5-4 in Houston. Now the Reds have a chance to get a couple games above the .500 mark and begin a winning-streak on Cinco De Mayo Saturday. What more could you ask for? They must win at all costs today whether that win come ugly or pretty like last evening. The Reds just have to keep rolling.

Highlights:

Bruce homers to right field (8)

Cozart & Stubbs go back-to-back

Brandon Phillips RBI single

Cueto’s sparkling outing

Ryan Hanigan RBI double

Potpourri:

It’s Cinco De Mayo. It’s a great holiday. In honor of the day that Adam Dunn always seemed to hit bombs on, we present to you the only batter walk-up song that Dunn used during his time in Cincinnati: a little Night Ranger. And maybe, just maybe; Dunn will go deep today in Detroit.

[Box Score]

[Cincinnati.com] [Mark Sheldon]

Frustrate you as they may, and they were frustrating for eight long innings with Ryan Dempster on the hill; there’s one thing you can say about the Reds. This group will force you to play for 27 outs, and if you don’t they’ll send you home losers.

The Reds entered the ninth inning trailing by a score of 3-0. They had just three hits on the day until that point. And then Carlos Marmol gave them the air supply they desperately needed.

He walked Willie Harris to lead off the ninth, which was a bad idea since Harris hasn’t collected a base-hit all season thus far. Joey Votto followed with a walk of his own. Brandon Phillips hit a ground ball to Ian Stewart, and the usually sound defense of the Cubs imploded. Stewart booted the ball and Harris scored. Jay Bruce followed with a sharp single. Ryan Ludwick walked to make it 3-2. Devin Mesoraco hit into a double play but the game was tied at 3-3.

The Reds found a way to win it in the 10th on a sacrifice fly by Scott Rolen that scored Zach Cozart. What should have been a 4-4 homestand became a 5-3 homestand. The Reds were back to .500 and the Cardinals which gave them renewed life.

The Reds knack for the comeback just might be their best quality. They had absolutely nothing yesterday and they still found a way to beat the opposition.

Highlights:

Homer Bailey’s 4th quality start in five outings

Starlin Castro’s first dinger of the year

Zach Cozart’s great diving stop

Rolen’s sac-fly to win it

Potpourri:

• This was the first time in MLB history that two starting pitchers shared a birthday on the day of the game started. Bailey is now 26, while Dempter is 35.
• I’m now getting old enough that I can remember games a full decade ago. Ten years ago to the day the Reds lost a game 6-1 in San Francisco. Their lineup went Larkin, Juan Encarnacion, Sean Casey, Dunn, Aaron Boone, Todd Walker, Austin Kearns, Corky Miller, and Jose Rijo started on the mound.
• A decade ago to the day, Adam Dunn had 25 career home runs. Dunn now has 372 as of last evening, including this monster home run last night off Cleveland’s Dan Wheeler.