“Take a shower, wash off the day.” — Charlotte Eriksson.
By HAL McCOY
Rookie Davis and the Cincinnati Reds wish it were only that easy — take a shower, wash off the day.
They take a shower every game after playing the Milwaukee Brewers only to have the Brewers throw dirt all over them the next day.
For the third straight day the Reds left Miller Park with dirt all over them, this time a 9-4 defeat to the Brewers.
That completed a three-game sweep by the Brewers during which they scored 29 runs while beating the Reds for the sixth time in seven games this year.
And the Reds left Milwaukee, headed for St. Louis, after losing seven of their last eight games overall.
WHEN A TEAM IS MIRED, its feet in clay, the last thing it wants is to have to send a rookie to the mound, a rookie making his second major league start and coming off an injury.
That, though, is what the Reds had to do Wednesday afternoon in Miller Park and it was sending Rookie Davis to the slaughter.
Seven of the first Brewers in the first inning had base hits and Milwaukee scored five times. On a positive and sarcastic note — at least he didn’t walk anybody.
And in the middle of he first inning, Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker uttered, “The Brewers are really taking the Reds to task.” Really?
JOEY VOTTO GAVETHE REDS a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against Wily Peralta with his seventh home run.
Then came the bottom of the first and it went like this:
Jonathan Villar bunted for a hit. Eric Thames singled. Ryan Braun doubled for two runs (2-1). Travis Shaw singled. Hernan Perez flied to the warning track, a sacrifice fly (3-1). Shaw stole third standing up. Jeff Bandy singled (4-1). Nick Franklin singled. Orlando Arcia doubled for a run (5-1).
For the mathematically challenged, that’s eight batters, five runs, seven hits, one out.
Because the bullpen is battered and gutted, manager Bryan Price had to to leave Davis in to take a whipping, and a whipping he took.
He gave up another run in the second and when he gave up a two-run home run to No. 8 hitter Orlando Arcia and a two-out single to Villar in the third, Price finally pulled the plug on Davis.
His line was a besmirched 2 2/3 innings, eight runs, 11 hits, one walk, two strikeouts.
Rookie Amir Garrett gave up 10 runs in 3 1/3 innings Monday and the Brewers racked up 18 runs over six innings against the two rookies.
INCLUDING VOTTO’S FIRST-INNING home run, the Reds hit four home runs, all with the bases empty — two by Scott Schebler and one by Adam Duvall, accounting for all four Cincinnati Reds runs. But it was way too little and way too late.
They had opportunities. They had two on with two outs in the third, but Votto grounded out.
They had runners on second and third with two outs in the fourth, but Billy Hamilton struck out.
They had two on with one out in the fifth, but Eugenio Suarez grounded into a double play.
They had two on with no outs in the sixth, but Scooter Gennett, Hamilton and Jose Peraza all popped up.
They were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
After the Brewers scored eight runs against Davis, the Reds bullpen shut the Brewers down on one run and three hits over the final 5 1/3 innings but, like the home runs, it was way too little and way too late.
On a positive note, for the first time this year Brewers first baseman Eric Thames didn’t hit a home run against the Reds.
This is Bambi vs. Godzilla. How much longer will Bryan Price have a job? Of course he isn’t the ones who are constantly in an 0-2 count and swinging at balls in the dirt or up in their eyes. But he also doesn’t do anything about it when it happens. He’s afraid to bench players who don’t perform and his boss, the product of unrestrained nepotism is at least as incompetent as he is. It’s time for a bloodbath with these two. Get rid of them so a new manager can take a fresh look at who plays and where they bat in the order while a new GM with at least some baseball knowledge gets hired. C’mon Bob Castellini, prove to us there shouldn’t be two )’s in your first name and dump these losers.
I like your comment at least Eric Thames didn’t hit a home run. The Reds are doing as expected but I don’t fault the manager.