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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 > 2011 > June > 25
Saturday, June 25, 2011
How about Sam LeCure for the rotation?
UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, sharing the chairs with two loyal participants on my FoxSportsOhio.com chats, Nate from Toledo and Scott from Columbus — and thanks for the Montecristo, Nate, and thanks for offering to help pay for the pizza, Scott. Enjoyed the company, guys.
Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker loves Derek Lee. Well, he USED to love Derek Lee — until Friday night.
Lee played first base when Baker managed the Chicago Cubs and Dusty still fondly calls him D-Lee.
I shudder to think what Baker might be calling him tonight. Lee, now a first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, hit a game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th off Jose Arredondo to beat the Reds, 5-4.
That, though, didn’t beat the Reds.
Edinson Volquez beat the Reds. And the Reds beat themselves.
And here is a note I’ll put in Baker’s suggestion box when he isn’t looking: Take Volquez out of the rotation and put Sam LeCure in it.
Volquez was Vintage Volquez — again. He was monotonously consistent, consisten at running counts to 3-and-2 and running up hs pitch count.
He left after 4 1/3 innings, having used up 101 pitches while giving up four runs, seven hits and five walks — four walks in the first two innings
THAT’S WHEN Baker brought in LeCure — with one out in the fifth inning with two on and one out. LeCure struck out catcher Matt Wieters, who already had two doubles off Volquez. Mark Reynolds was walkedi intentionally to fill the bases and LeCure struck out rookie Blake Davis, who had his first major-league hit and first major-league RBI off Volquez in the second.
LeCure then pitched a 1-2-3 inning against the top of the O’s order in the sixth.
The Reds took Volquez off the hook by battling back to tie it, 4-4, in the sixth.
They scored three in the fifth. Ramon Hernandez singled and Chris Heisey drew a one-out walk. Brandon Phillips doubled for two runs and Votto doubled for another.
AND THEY TIED it in the sixth on a double by Jonny Gomes, who took third on a wild pitch and scored on a broken bat single to left by Paul Janish.
Then the Reds’ bats went dormant, as dead as Jimmy Hoffa.
IN THE SEVENTH, with two outs, Scott Rolen singled to center and Jay Bruce hit one over the center fielder’s head, a sure-fire run. But the fire went out when the ball bounced over the wall for a ground rule double and Rolen, who would have scored easily if the ball had stayed in play, had to stop at third. Gomes grounded out to end that threat.
Rolen led the 10th inning with a single and Baker decided to let slump-wrapped Jay Bruce to swing away instead of sacrifice. Bruce struck out, Gomes flied to center and Drew Stubbs took a called third strike as Rolen remained at first base, anchored as solidly as the Statue of Liberty.
BRANDON PHILLIPS opened the top of the 12th with a bloop single to right. With two outs, Bruce drove one to the outfield and third base coach Mark Berry decided it was time to gamble for the go-ahead run.
He was a gambler without a green eye shade and rolled up sleeves as he waved Votto homeward. The throw beat Votto by the distance between the Chesapeake Bay and home plate, an easy out to end the inning.
Four pitches later, the game was over. Facing Arredondo, Lee worked the count to 1-and-2 and drove the next fastball into the left field seats.
The Reds had 12 hits, two each by Phillips, Rolen and Hernandez, but stranded 10 and didn’t score over last six innings.
It was another bad loss and the post-game Maryland crabcakes tasted pretty bad.
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