Reds at Royals (6/12-6/14)

[Tranquility Base]

Game 1 goes to the Reds, 5-4, in 10.    Not sure why Bell felt the need to close the game with a Rookie making his MLB debut, but he held it together (barely) to get the final 3 outs.

[Voice of Reason]

Crash Casali did a good job helping Nuke Karcher get that save last night.

[REALSPORT]

7 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Game 1 goes to the Reds, 5-4, in 10.    Not sure why Bell felt the need to close the game with a Rookie making his MLB debut, but he held it together (barely) to get the final 3 outs.

I'm sure that wasn't the plan.  Farmer was in to close it out in the 9th but allowed the HR to tie.  From what I read, Diaz wasn't available.  Karcher was the 6th pitcher used.  It was a battle of attrition.

[ChickenWyngz]

2 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

Crash Casali did a good job helping Nuke Karcher get that save last night.

This is true. You really can’t speak enough about the job Maile and Casali have done with a young, ever changing and at times struggling pitching staff.

The other night on the radio Brantley discussed this a bit and even pointed out that it really exposes Stephenson’s struggles in the area at times. It puts the Reds in a tough place of dealing with growing pains by letting Stephenson learn in the fire or doing what is most successful everyday.

1 hour ago, REALSPORT said:

I'm sure that wasn't the plan.  Farmer was in to close it out in the 9th but allowed the HR to tie.  From what I read, Diaz wasn't available.  Karcher was the 6th pitcher used.  It was a battle of attrition.

This is true too. Diaz and Sims had gone consecutive days and Bell will rarely push a reliever to 3 day. Giabut had thrown 20+ the day before which Bell also likes to avoid the day after with that.

The good news is it sets up a really fresh bullpen the rest of the way in KC.

[nkypete]

I'm pleasantly surprised.  I never thought that the Reds had a prayer to sniff .500 again this season.

[Voice of Reason]

People if you did not see the Ricky Karcher aka Nuke LaLoosh save last night, you have got to go find it somewhere - and watch his post game interview too. More entertaining than any scene you can think of from Bull Durham or Major League. I don't think he threw one fastball for a strike and maybe only through 3 or 4 sliders for strikes the entire inning and somehow got the save. And I mean his fastball was so wild it was crazy. After he threw the first 3 or 4 pitches I said out loud, how can this guy even be in the major leagues. (And today he was sent down.) Pure entertainment pleasure watching him get that save.

[Tranquility Base]

Game 2.   Reds score 5 in the second inning and hold on for the 5-4 win.

[Tranquility Base]

SWEEP!!   Reds homer 3 times in the fifth and beat the Royals 7-4.  Day off Thursday and then onto Houston.