Jay Bruce Comes Through
By Matt Niehaus
Friday night is always firework night at Great American Ballpark, this Friday night the Reds added some of their own fireworks.
Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
More specifically Jay Bruce who sent a bomb into right field sending the Reds and their fans home happy with a 4-3 win.
Bronson Arroyo was on the mound for the Reds. Arroyo has been Mr.Steady this season, sure he has some losses on the season but he has a decent ERA and he knows how to get guys out. Friday night though he started off strong only throwing six pitches in the first inning.
Arroyo went 7.2 innings, mostly strong innings. Now his stat line shows 12 hits, 2 earned runs and 5 strike outs. 12 hits is nothing to hang your hat on by any means. But only giving up 2 runs on 12 hits is something to hang your hat on. That means you have great defense and you how to force hitters to ground out or strike out.
The offense was relatively steady all night, only getting 7 hits but scoring four runs off of those 7 hits. Ryan Hanigan found his bat tonight going 2-4 although his season average is still below .200. Other than him Shin Soo Choo, Phillips, Bruce and Frazier all had RBI’s tonight. A decent night for the Reds offense.
Joey Votto was given his first night off of the season tonight, that was until the ninth when Dusty Baker pinch hit him for Aroldis Chapman. Votto in typical Votto fashion reached based on four straight balls. Mike Gonzalez for the Brewers could not find the strike zone with 2 outs in the ninth. He walked Votto, then went to a 3-0 count on Choo before eventually walking him. With two runners on it looked like the Reds could win in regulation but Derrick Robinson had perhaps his worst at bat of his young career sending the game to extras.
In extras Alfredo Simon took the ball for the Reds throwing a 1-2-3 inning. From there the Reds came up to bat Brandon Phillips led off. From there Jay Bruce came to the plate with no runners on and the ballpark on the edge of their seat Bruce sent a blast into the crisp Cincinnati night sending all fans home happy as well as the club. Well the fans headed home after the firework show.
Today was a much needed win after yesterday’s 14 inning loss to the Cubs. Cincinnati also gained a game on the Cardinals after their loss to the worst team in baseball.
Tomorrow Homer Bailey is up for the Reds at 4:10.