Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2012 > May > 05 > Entry
Ol’ McDonald sends Reds to losing farm
UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave after none of my three Kentucky Derby choices sniffed finishing in the money (Union Rags, Gemologist, Hansen) — so my Derby record remains intact, oh-for-lifetime).
The Cincinnati Reds might as well have been singing Old McDonald Saturday night — Ol’ McDonald had curve, e-i-e-i-o.
Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jame McDonald, using his curveball over and over and over again, mesmerized the Reds for seven innings, striking out seven during a 3-2 victory over the Reds.
Mike Leake was good, but not good enough. During his seven innings he only gave up four hits, but he walked a career-high walks and two home runs and the result was that he was tagged with his fourth loss without a win.
THE REDS hit into four double plays and two of them were of the bizarre variety.
The Reds scored a run in the seventh inning and Scott Rolen was on first base with one out. Ryan Ludwig flied to center. Rolen tagged up at first and tried to advance to second but was thrown out. It was a rather bold attempt, but knowing the Reds struggle to score runs, it wasn’t a totally dunderhead move.
In the fourth, Joey Votto doubled, a goofy double. He hit it down the left field line and stood in the batter’s box, turning his back on the ball and walking out of the box, believing the ball was foul. But it dropped on the foul-line and fortunately for Votto the ball hopped into the stands down the left field lilne, a ground rule double.
Votto took third on a ground ball. Jay Bruce grounded to first baseman Casey McGehee, who stepped on first for the out and when Votto tried to score, McGehee threw him out at the plate — although it appeared Votto’s slid across the plate ahead of the tag.
It was that kind of a night for the Reds.
LEAKE HAD two outs and nobody on in the third when he gave up a double to Jose Tabatha and Neil Walker nearly sank a riverboat on the Allegheny River with a down-range home run to make it 2-0.
Jay Bruce tripled past diving center field Andrew McCuthen to lead off the seventh and scored on Scott Rolen’s single. That’s the inning that ended with Rolen trying to move from first to second on the fly ball.
Leake, though, gave that run back in the bottom of the seventh when pinch-hitter Alex Presley hit a two-out home run, pushing the lead back to two runs, 3-1.
The Reds scored once in the eighth when Devin Mesoraco led with a single, the fourth time in five innings the leadoff batter reached base. Zack Cozart doubled him home. The Reds then filled the bases, but Brandon Phillips struck out.
Jose Arrendondo gave up a one-out single to Andrew McCuthen in the eighth, but picked him off base, a fortuitous play because he then filled the bases with two walks and a hit.
Clint Barmes helped out, too, when he swung at ball four on a 3-and-2 pitch to end the inning and leave it at 3-2.
The Reds, though were helpless in the ninth against Pittsburgh closer Joel Hanraham, who was 40 for 44 in save situations and four-for-four this year.
Now he is five-for-five after Jay Bruce flied to center, Scott Rolen popped to short and Ryan Ludwick popped to second base.
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By WilmingtonGary
May 6, 2012 8:26 PM | Link to this
Hey DD. How about our new 3rd baseman Frazier.
By DD
May 6, 2012 2:33 PM | Link to this
Brian…I kind of agree with you on Phillips. I think he must still be hurting some. If not, I would like to see him back at the leadoff since neither Cozart not Stubbs have shown the ability to handle it. I would like to see Bruce in cleanup but I know Dusty doesn’t like back-to-back lefties so I doubt that will happen. So, I guess the question is who else bats 4th when the RH bats are all struggling?
By aj
May 6, 2012 1:28 PM | Link to this
DD, you do anything but watch the TV? You an engineer maybe or a architect or someone who knows about Israeli spies arrested having posed for photos of the crime? No, didn’t think so. Guess that’s the definition of a patsy, I mean, patriot
By Worn Cleat
May 6, 2012 12:56 PM | Link to this
A “FACT”for Double dumb! By bobmc May 6, 2012 9:08 AM When will Heisey learn about Dusty. Get two hits; two good bunts on a team who finds bunting a total mystery and he gets benched the next day. Lasy yr. he had two homers in one game and ditto.
By WilmingtonGary
May 6, 2012 11:45 AM | Link to this
Interesting observation looking at Reds stats today: Of the top 6 in BA and OBP 3 are the young kids (you know, the ones Dusty doesn’t like because they are inconsistent). Leaving out pitchers the bottom 5 are Valdez .200, Ludwick .197, Rolen .182, Cairo .111, Harris .088 (you know, the veterans that Dusty loves because of their consistency). Draw your own conclusions. I have.
By WilmingtonGary
May 6, 2012 11:05 AM | Link to this
Glad to hear Brian bring up BP. A total bust at #4. If he still isn’t well enough to hit leadoff, give him some time off to heal. Anyone else almost fall out of their chair yesterday when the FSN announcer said “Willie Harris was in the on deck circle”. Heisey pinch hit instead. Once again Frazier sits.
By Brian
May 6, 2012 10:46 AM | Link to this
Why hasn’t anyone mentioned Brandon Phillips? He is not productive in the clean-up spot and is leaving way too many runners on base. If he is still hurt, then he shouldn’t be playing.
By Ron
May 6, 2012 10:00 AM | Link to this
Even though we are only a month into the season, and hopefully I am wrong, but I am afraid that what we see is what we are going to get for the rest of the season. We are going to have to watch Drew Stubbs walk back to the dugout shaking he head after taking a third strike with a man in scoring position. With all due respect to a great career Scot Rolen has had, but we are going to watch Rolen struggle to get off the interstate, maybe hit 5 HR’s and maybe drive in 30 RBI’s. We are going to have to watch Dusty stick with “his guys”. Watch Brook Jacoby in the dugout as the most useless hitting coach there is in baseball. Like Jerry said, we are frustrated Reds fans tired of watching the same old - same old. Go Reds.
By Rpd Park
May 6, 2012 9:50 AM | Link to this
Votto has his back to the ball as it lands in the outfield?? If Griffey had done this he would have been crucified. Why wasn’t Baker ALL OVER HIM for that??
By bobmc
May 6, 2012 9:08 AM | Link to this
When will Heisey learn about Dusty. Get two hits; two good bunts on a team who finds bunting a total mystery and he gets benched the next day. Lasy yr. he had two homers in one game and ditto. No one will agee with me, but Heisey could be a good leadoff hitter. He is plenty fast, a really good bunter and IF he ever was told you have LF or CF it would change everything. He presses trying too hard to get Dusty off his back. Dusty’s “dream” leadoff man will never work. Stubbs is as lost as a deer in headlights.He’s so scared of the curve ball they get him out often with a fast ball down the middle and with his stunned look tucks his bat under his arm and goes back to Dusty’s santuary. Dusty is and will always be a .500 mgr. He is under .500 with the Cubs and Reds and the only reason he is over .500 with SF is because he had the best player in the majors to keep him afloat. I might add, the best that steroids can buy. Dusty is very patient; waiting for something to happen. Never enters his maind to try a surpise. He’s too busy “cartwheeling” his toothpick in his mouth or adjusting his cool sweatbands to think of everything. And, oh, the love triangle between Walt, Ludwick, Rolen and Baker. I guess that’s a “love square”.
By Jerry
May 6, 2012 5:49 AM | Link to this
When, when, is someone going to tell Drew Stubbs..you don’t have to hit a home run every time up!!!???Who is telling this kid to hit it out of the park as much as he can???? Drew needs to be in L’ville learning how to make contact…HECK, I dont’ care if he EVER HITS another HR!!!! make contact and the ball will GO OUT from time to time!@!! WE NEED BASE HITS, base runners…you can’t steal bases or score from “the bench” put Todd Frazier out there…at least he makes contact….WAKE UP DUSTY and Walt….if WE can’t beat the Pirate’s 3 straight…we need to regroup!!!! We’re frustrated fans out here, Dusty/Walt…you ain’t fool’n us!!!!
By DD
May 6, 2012 1:17 AM | Link to this
Huh? Rant much? Try to blame others for what exactly? When you don’t bring facts to the party - only your crazy beliefs that guys like Chris Dickerson would have been an All-Star if given a chance even though both Milwaukee and New York did give him a chance and have since sent him packing - there’s nothing to argue about. You bring nothing to the table to debate. You have no facts, just your crazy, ludicrous opinions. You’re like those loonies that think our government created 9/11. It’s really pointless to waste a minute responding to you. I’m kind of embarrassed in myself for doing so right now. Low point. Go Reds - get ‘em tomorrow. Need a win.
By Worn Cleat
May 6, 2012 12:19 AM | Link to this
All anyone has to know about the pseudo knowledge suggested by Jim T. and double dumb, is that their favorite manager still wants Drew Stubbs to be his eventual lead off man! Well, of course he does; otherwise he and Walt will have given up on their bad choice for CF and lead off. Three more stikouts today! Terrific HOF juggernaut led by the “HOF” Baker. You betcha. Lets not replace anyone who K’s 200 times, more than any other player in the majors. Lets pretend to give others a chance to play—but no more than three times in a row. Lets get Stubbs down to 175 K’s and then we can try him at leadoff hitter again. It’s hilarious to watch these two simpletons try to blame others for what they themselves do ALL THE TIME on this blog. All they do is look for someone to argue with who differs with their “annointed” opinions; then they suggest the errors of other’s beliefs by suggesting Hell and damnation if they don’t change their opinion and demeanor. Sorry boys, your jig is up…Everyone who can stand it, reread their posts for proof…