Reds dig their own Graves

[CincyRedsFan30]

Reds dig their own Graves
Cards cap off biggest comeback in team history with two homers off Cincy closer

By Kyle Nagel

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | After limping home from a brutal nine-game road trip, the Cincinnati Reds certainly would've used any advantage possible to snap themselves out of that late-April funk. Even if that advantage were a phantom home run.

Unfortunately, the Reds bullpen found a way to spoil that advantage.

David Weathers and Danny Graves combined to give up seven runs in the ninth inning as the Reds lost 10-9 to the St. Louis Cardinals in front of 15,961 at Great American Ball Park on Monday. The loss extended their losing streak to five games.

The Reds, already leading 5-3, scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth, in part by Adam Dunn's team-leading seventh home run. They entered the ninth up 9-3 with Weathers coming to the mound.

But, the Reds bullpen hasn't built a reputation this season for being stable. In 24 games entering Monday, Reds relievers combined for a 4-5 record and a 5.56 ERA.

Weathers walked the first two batters he faced and surrendered a single to load the bases. He then struck out pinch hitter Roger Cedeno and got a fielder's choice ground out from Albert Pujols.

Then the runs came in bunches.

Reggie Sanders hit an RBI single to drive Weathers from the game. Graves entered and gave up two home runs — to Jim Edmonds and John Mabry — as the Cardinals scored five runs with two out. Overcoming that 6-run deficit in the ninth set a St. Louis franchise record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"As things are going right now, we don't have any baseball luck," Graves said. "That's how it goes. You have to deal with that."

So how do you deal with it?

"Just give me the ball," Graves said. "The game's over, there's nothing you can do about it. I can deal with it, I promise you I can."

Before all the runs, the game had its share of controversy. After the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth, Ken Griffey Jr. led off the bottom of the inning with a long fly ball to straightaway center. Replays showed the ball bouncing off the top of the wall near the 404-foot sign, and the umpires originally signaled that it was not a home run. By rule, it should not have been a home run because it did not clear the wall.

After arguments from Griffey, who was standing on second base, and Reds manager Dave Miley, home plate umpire Ed Montague signaled that it was, indeed, a four-bagger, Griffey's second of the season.

After the de facto homer, Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter gave up a sacrifice fly from Rich Aurilia that scored Casey and a two-run double from catcher Jason LaRue as the Reds left the inning leading 5-2. Three of their four runs in the inning were unearned because of a Pujols throwing error.

The Reds entered Monday 7-3 at home, their best performance to open a season since 1994, when they started 10-2. They needed a boost from the home park after losing seven of nine games on the recent road trip, including a 13-3 thrashing from the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

They didn't get it.

"This is basically a floor plan of how to give a big league game away," Miley said. "It takes 27 outs, not 26."

Both offenses remained quiet until St. Louis right fielder So Taguchi lined a third-inning home run into the left-field seats. It was the second homer this season for the 5-foot-10, 163-pound native of Osaka, Japan, and former professional teammate of the Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki. Later in the inning, Pujols singled to left and extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Aurilia evened the game in the fifth with a lined homer to right. Taguchi chased the ball to the wall, leaped and nearly made the catch. But, the tying shot landed safely in the first row.

Miley said the best way to rebound from a game like Monday's — one that seems to be a lock — is just to play the next day. But the biggest action came in the late innings.

"That's what you have to do," he said. "But it's not easy to think about it that night."

Contact Kyle Nagel at (937) 225-7389.

[CincyRedsFan30]

We might need to look for more Graves quotes in the Enquirer/Post tomorrow.

I forgot that Hal was still out. He should be back tomorrow I think.

[redsrbetter]

I especially liked this one:

"This is basically a floor plan of how to give a big league game away," Miley said. "It takes 27 outs, not 26."

So what are you going to tell O'Brien to do about it?

[CincyRedsFan30]

He'll probably tell him to do something, but O'Brien will chuckle and say:

Do something about it? Negatory!

[redsfan28]

Memo to Graves: Concentrate more on getting someone out and less on the fans booing you. They will boo less if you retire a batter!

[NFLman2033]

there was a quote in the yahoo article i read from Graves that said, "It wasn't the first time(about the booing) and as long as I am on the team it won't be the last time."

[QuietAcre]

there was a quote in the yahoo article i read from Graves that said, "It wasn't the first time(about the booing) and as long as I am on the team it won't be the last time."

Any manager with a backbone wouldn't tolerate that shit. I'm not sure that Dave Miley even has cartilage. And, what the hell is Miley doing with that wierd blinking? Is he blinking through each bad pitch? Sending singles?

[Wally Mo Pena]

wouldn't tolerate what? Miley had nothing to do with the loss yesterday, or very little at least. he pulled milton when he should have, he pulled wagner when he should have.

It was also reported that he and the coaches had a not so nice meeting with the pitchers before the game, telling them that all of the walks and lack of concentration has to stop. Specifically mentioning walks. When the reds got a huge lead he saved his closer and put in a mop up guy, a guy who he had just told not to walk anyone. Weathers then walked the 8 and 9 hitters to start the inning.

What can Miley do about that? Weathers should be ashamed of himself, and he should be sent down. He's Jimmy Haynes II. Then Miley took him out and gave the ball to his closer, to get one out, with a 4 run lead. Nope. Again, not Miley's fault, it was exaclty what he should have done. Who else should he have used? Weber? Valentine? If you have no one with any talent, there's nothing you can do.

Miley is a fool for not playing Freel and despite a good game yesterday, Aurillia should be the backup and FeLo should start. Also griffey should be sitting about half of the games right now.

The whole pen has an ERA of 6.5, there's nothing he can do about that.

[redsfan28]

Also griffey should be sitting about half of the games right now.

Oh, ok. Junior's may have finally found some of his stroke and you want him to sit. Junior deserves to start over your guy, who STILL can't hit a curveball to save his life. Why Miley started Pena when he knew Carpenter has a decent to good curveball is beyond me.