Hamilton comes to Straily’s aid — once again
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds can score nine runs and lose a game, as they did Monday afternoon against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And the Cincinnati Reds can score three runs and win a game, as they did Tuesday night against the Texas Rangers. Such are the vagaries of Major League Baseball. […]
Reds find a ‘closer’ in 18-9 embarrassment
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds found their closer Monday afternoon in the oddest of places — in their outfield. With an outrageous game totally out of hand, manager Bryan Price brought outfielder Holt into the ninth inning to finish a game the Reds lost, 18-9. Maybe it was because the Los Angeles Dodgers were totally […]
Dodgers ‘kid’ does what veterans couldn’t
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — After two veteran starting pitchers were Les Miserables on Friday and Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers sent a just-turned-20 kid out to do a man’s job. And he did it with flying Dodger blue colors Sunday afternoon in Great American Ball Park. Mexican-born Julio Urias, rated the No. 1 left […]
Finnegan finesses Dodgers with one–hitter
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The last time Brandon Finnegan faced the Los Angeles Dodgers, in LA’s Chavez Ravine, the feisty little left hander held the Dodgers to one run, pitched a complete game — and lost to Clayton Kershaw, 1-0. On Saturday night in Great American Ball Park, facing the Dodgers without the handicap […]
An emotional night for grieving Lorenzen
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — For the most part, the game was decided, wrapped and bagged, especially because Michael Lorenzen was walking to the Great American Ball Park mound. Michael Lorenzen does not blow five-run leads and he did not blow this one, an eventual 9-2 Cincinnati Reds victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The […]
‘Misfits’ Cabrera, Straily carry the Reds
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Sometimes it just works out that the littlest guy on the field does the biggest damage. Just ask pitchers who face Houston’s Jose Altuve, all 5-foot-5 of him. But Altuve gets to play every day. Cincinnati Reds back-up catcher Ramon Cabrera, all 5-foot-7 of him (and that is literally a […]
Barnhart, DeSclafani ‘slam’ door on Marlins
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — It was Studio Baseball in a steady drizzle Tuesday night in Great American Ball Park, a game played strictly for television and for the gratification of Tucker Barnhart and Anthony DeSclafani. Why? Because little more than 3,000 fans actually passed through the turnstiles Tuesday to occupy seats after a few […]
Sloppy performance hands one to the Marlins
By HAL McCOY Mediocre pitching, sloppy baseball and a makeshift lineup is a Betty Crocker recipe for defeat. And the Cincinnati Reds did all three Monday night in Great American Ball Park. It all added up to 6-3 defeat to the Miami Marlins in the first game of a four-game series. The mediocre pitching, bordering […]
Another ‘Hard Knock’ lesson for Cody Reed
By HAL McCOY The education of Cody Reed continues to be The School of Hard Knocks, with another knot being applied to his forehead Sunday afternoon during a 7-3 defeat. As the acknowledged best pitching prospect in the Cincinnati Reds pitch-rich organization, Reed is pitching more like Donna Reed or Jerry Reed than a major […]