D-Backs bombard Reds with five homers, 9-2
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — When he isn’t winning 13 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, pitcher Zack Godley is an avid fisherman and is delightfully proud that he has sunk two boats while searching for bass and while he survived, the bass didn’t. Godley did some more sinking Sunday afternoon in Great American Ball Park. […]
Hamilton’s defense: Almost always ‘catch of the day’
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The fantabulous Hall of Fame center fielder Willie Mays, who committed more baseball robberies than Bonnie & Clyde performed bank robberies, was once asked to rate his myriad of great catches. “I don’t rate ‘em, I just catch ‘em,” said Mays while quietly lacing up his baseball spikes. Cincinnati Reds […]
Reds continue successes against first place teams
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Is there any way the National League can amend the schedule and place the Cincinnati Reds against a first place team every night? When the last place Reds play a first place team, it’s magic for the Reds. With their second straight victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday night in […]
Herrera makes debut in left field with borrowed glove
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — When Gene Mauch managed the Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins and California Angels, one of his favorite sayings was, “You can’t hide a player on defense. The baseball always finds him.” It wasn’t that Cincinnati Reds manager Jim Riggleman was trying to hide Dilson Herrera in left field Saturday […]
DeSclafani: No walks, no runs, one big victory
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds wore their olive green-trimmed uniforms to honor the military Friday night in Great American Ball Park and played with military-like precision. And the drill instructor was Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, perfection personified while pitching the Reds to a 3-0 victory over the first place Arizona Diamondbacks. […]
Riggleman: ‘We’re working on hitting the cutoff man’
By Hal McCoy CINCINNATI — There were many disconcerting events on the recent three-city trip by the Cincinnati and that’s always the way when the work sheet says two wins and seven losses. The most glaring, though, was the way outfielders threw the ball back to the infield with runners scurrying around the basepaths. It […]
People who influenced a fortunate man
By HAL McCOY When you have had the great fortune I have had in my life — so, so fortunate — there have been more than a few people who paved the way and guided you through life’s many crevices. When my father, Harold, came marching home from World War II in 1945, I was […]
Stephenson less than ‘poetic’ against the Mets
By HAL McCOY Robert Stephenson’s season debut with the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday afternoon was less than poetic. In fact, he continues to be a riddle. After a dominant season at Class AAA Louisville, Stephenson was called up to face the New York Mets and looked a whole lot like the pitcher that has perplexed the […]
Romano rock solid, Stephenson pitches Wednesday
By HAL McCOY The Cincinnati Reds figured, or at least hoped, that Tuesday would be a good night, based on the opposing pitcher. But then the way the Reds have played lately a stuffed hippopotamus perched on the mound would give them trouble. They were facing Jason Vargas, he of the 2-and-7 record and 8.23 […]