Meanwhile, St. Louis pitcher Michael Wacha took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, gave up a two-out infield single, but got the final out for a 2-0 Cardinals victory over Washington.
That win, coupled with Cincinnati’s loss, dropped the Reds three games behind with four games left. Anybody got a pocket full of miracles?
To make matters even more strenuous, the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs and took a one-game lead over the Reds in the argument for home-field advantage in the wild-card play-in game.
“We didn’t lose tonight, we just got beat — sometimes you just get beat,” said manager Dusty Baker. “You don’t like it, but those guys are getting paid over there to win some games.”
Most of it was Niese’s doing — seven innings, two runs, eight hits, one walk, six strikeouts. And he negated left-handers Joey Votto (0 for 4, two strikeouts, double play) and Jay Bruce (0 for 4, three strikeouts).
Niese, 26, resides in Defiance and graduated from Defiance High School, the same school that produced Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley.
Niese, though, was more known for soccer, a four-year player and a third-team All-Ohio wing — and he certainly kicked around the Reds. He had faced them five times and was 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA.
“You always hate to face a pitcher late in the season who is one game under .500 (Niese was 7-8) because you know they’ll pitch their best to try to get back to .500,” said Baker. “You have to give it to him. He pitched an outstanding ballgame.”
His teammates made it easier for him by scoring all four of New York’s runs in the second inning off Mike Leake, including a three-run home run by Daniel Murphy.
The Reds frittered away their chances in the first when it was still 0-0 — three hits but no runs.
Shin-Soo Choo and Brandon Phillips singled, putting runners on first and second with no outs. After Votto took strike three right down the middle, Ryan Ludwick singled to center.
Choo tried to score, but center fielder Juan Lagares threw him out at home and Bruce struck out.
“That was an outstanding throw,” said Baker. “If the throw had been off a bit, who knows how many we would have scored. The center fielder made an outstanding play. He charged the ball. We knew he had a good arm and he threw it accurately. We had to send Choo because there aren’t many center fielders who can throw people out on a ground ball up the middle.
“We heard he was an outstanding player and he showed it last night,” Baker added. “He made a good throw last night, but it was off line. This time it was accurate.”
The Reds scored in the second on a double by Todd Frazier and a couple of ground balls and again in the fifth. Center fielder Lagares misjudged Choo’s line drive, and it whistled over his head for a triple. Choo then scored while Votto hit into a double play.
And that’s the way it stayed the rest of the way, 4-2, as one Cincinnati batter reached base of the 19 that went to the plate and that was on a strikeout and wild pitch to Frazier with one out in the ninth. Zack Cozart ended it by hitting into a double play.
That gave Mets relief pitcher Vic Black his first major-league save.
As Baker talked after the game, the Cardinals completed their victory and he said, “Damn, really? They’re coming through when they need it.”
Leake lasted 1 2/3 innings, tying the shortest start of his career. He had extended a scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings before the Mets battered him in the second.
“One pitch (to Murphy) left it open for them and there was still a way for us to come back,” said Leake. “Yeah, they just got me. I wasn’t making pitches.”
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