The Cincinnati Reds are currently playing along to their first-place status. The Reds 6-3 victory over the Milwakee Brewers on Monday marked their fifteenth win in the past twenty games.
Johnny Cueto faced Brewer's ace Yovani Gallardo on Monday. Cueto went seven solid innings for the Reds allowing one run on seven hits while striking out seven. Gallardo held the Reds to one hit through five innings. He left the game after six innings allowing only one run on four Reds' hits. Former Red Todd Coffey relieved Gallardo in the seventh and the Reds' offense exploded scoring five runs.
Chris "Vicious" Heisey led off the seventh with a pinch-hit triple. Orlando Cabrera, Brandon Phillips, and Joey Votto then all followed with singles making the score 3-1, but Phillips was caught in a run-down after Votto's hit. With one out and two runs already in, the Brewers elected to intentionally walk Jay Bruce to instead face Jonny Gomes. The decision was a poor one. Gomes crushed Todd Coffey's first pitch to deep centerfield for a three-run homer.
“We’re competitors,” Gomes said. “We’ve been battling since we were 6 years old. When you get that guy in front of you intentionally walked – not really to set the double play or for a matchup – you dig down. It’s a character check.”
Obviously annoyed, Todd Coffey's next pitch hit Drew Stubbs in the back. Both benches were then warned by the umpires, but the Reds were not planning retaliation.
“We don’t have time for that,” Gomes said. “We’re focused on winning.”
Nick Masset offered a scoreless eighth and after not pitching in over a week, Danny Herrera was called upon to get some work in as the Reds owned a 6-1 lead going into the top of the ninth inning. Retiring only one, Herrera looked rusty and quickly allowed two runs. Dusty Baker then summoned Francisco Cordero from the Reds' pen. Cordero notched the last two outs of the game, and his thirteenth save of the season, as the Reds defeated the Brewers 6-3.
The Reds signed Cuban defector Felix Perez on Monday. The 25-year-old left-handed outfielder received a $550,000 signing bonus and will most likely begin his American career in Dayton or Lynchburg.
The Reds remain in first place 1/2 game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. Homer Bailey (1-2, 5.66) will face Manny Parra (0-2, 3.98) and the Brewers at 12:35pm on Tuesday.
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