Reds' first baseman Joey Votto was asked by manager Dusty Baker if he wanted to take Tuesday afternoon off after Monday's night game. Votto said no. Baker decided to rest third baseman Scott Rolen instead and the results were impeccable. Rolen provided the Reds with a two-run pinch-hit homer that tied the game in the ninth inning. Votto went 3-5 with a 460-foot homer and the game-winning RBI single.
"I want to play every single day," Votto said. "I don't want to be out of the lineup, ever. I think I can speak for every single person in this locker room and they feel the exact same way. Everybody wants to play every single day."
Homer Bailey started for the Reds on Tuesday and after a two-run first, pitched concrete. Bailey's next six innings of work consisted of only one Brewer hit allowed in the seventh. After Bailey left the game the Reds' bullpen (Mike Lincoln) struggled, allowing two more Brewer runs, placing the Reds behind, 4-2.
"It wasn’t a matter of: Are we going to come back? It was: It’s going to happen," said an intrepid Bailey. "We have that much confidence right now. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We have a lot of confidence in our lineup and in our pitching. Right now, the way we’re playing as a team is pretty remarkable. We expect every game that we’re going to win."
Homer Bailey was right. Down two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the tenacious Reds managed to win their tenth game in their final at-bat this season.
The Brewers sent Trevor Hoffman to the mound in the bottom of the ninth. It was Hoffman's first save situation since May 5, and maybe his last. Hoffman allowed a Paul Janish single, followed by a pinch-hit homerun by Scott Rolen, knotting the score at four. Chris "Vicious" Heisey then doubled to left and Brandon Phillips drew a walk. Joey "Capone" Votto then came to plate and drove Hoffman's first pitch to the wall in centerfield. Chris Heisey scored easily without a throw and the Reds won their fourth game in a row, 5-4.
"We’re playing good baseball," said Rolen after the game. "We’re making good pitches. We’re taking good swings. We’re putting together good at-bats. You call it whatever you want to call it. But it’s a good team, good players, playing good baseball."
I call it gangster.
The steadfast Reds will send Aaron Harang (2-5, 6.02) to the mound on Wednesday to face Kenshin Kawakami (0-6, 5.79) and the Atlanta Braves at 7:10pm.
Aroldis Chapman (3-2, 4.63) will make his eighth start of the season for the Louisville Bats on Wednesday. Chapman will be facing Leigh Valley at 7:05pm and will attempt to rebound from his last outing when he allowed eight runs in just 3 1/3 innings.
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