Not off the Press Extra Edition: 2 games, 2 wins in Reds' postseason
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
After two games in the National League Divisional Series, the NL Central champion Cincinnati Reds are playing for keeps.
There is no doubt about it.
The Reds went out to the West Coast, and they left with a combined 14-2 score. They are bringing a 2-0 NLDS lead to the Queen City and are one win away from their first appearance in the NLCS since 1995.
Before all the NLCS talk, the Reds have their biggest game of the season this Tuesday in Game 3 (5:30 p.m. on TBS) of the NLDS against the Giants, who are in survival mode. The Giants have to win … no other choice in the matter, or they have the rest of the postseason off.
How did the Reds get to this point in the postseason?
The postseason started with Cy Young award candidate Johnny Cueto getting back spasms on his eighth pitch Saturday night, followed by 1.2 innings of relief by Sam LeCure (his performance was huge for this team), followed by four innings of pitching by Mat Latos (his performance on the mound was even bigger).
Latos was the scheduled Game 3 starter … he pitched a bullpen session and lifted weights earlier in the day as neither he nor anyone else had any idea what was going to go down later that night.
After Latos' outing … Sean Marshall, Jonathan Broxton (great trade this summer by the Reds) and Aroldis Chapman did what they needed to do to keep the lead.
If a person said the Reds' ace wouldn't get past eight pitches in his start … but the Reds would go on to outscore the Giants by 12 runs in two games on the West Coast … that person would be called a fool.
That person would have been right on the money.
And I've only spoken about the pitching … the five runs scored by the Reds in Game 1 (they won 5-2) or the nine in Game 2 weren't even mentioned.
Add those runs with the Game 2 pitching of Bronson Arroyo's seven scoreless innings of one-hit baseball (four strikeouts), along with the relief pitching of J.J. Hoover (one inning, one walk, one strikeout) and José Arredondo for the 9-0 shutout win.
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There is a different feeling with this team than in '10 … their demeanor from watching on TV (thus far) just seems … more focused. They are doing what playoff teams have to do to advance.
What the Reds did in the past two games has been amazing, to say the least. Most (fans) hoped for a split in San Francisco after two games, but this is the best I've seen this team play all season.
Credit Dusty Baker (and his coaching staff) as well … thus far he's run his pitching staff wonderfully … look at the decision he and his staff made in Game 1 when Cueto went down … they made all the right moves … gave Latos plenty of time to warm up and get ready … and everything went as well as it could have possibly gone for the Reds when their ace left the mound Saturday night.
Here is what jumps out after two games:
- The Giants are 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, including 16 runners left on base (11 in Game 1).
- Brandon Phillips at the plate: 5-for-10 (.500), one run and four RBIs (two games).
- Home runs (3): (Game 1) Phillips, Jay Bruce; (Game 2) Ryan Ludwick.
- Don't forget the 22 hits in two games (13 in Game 2) combined by Cincinnati.
- In 18 innings, the Reds have two or more runs in four of those innings. They have scored at least one run in six different innings.
- The Giants' starting pitching has gone a combined 9.1 innings this postseason… not much for pitchers like Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner.
- More on Ludwick in Game 2: He was 2-for-3, two runs, one RBI, one walk. In Game 1, he drew a walk. He came to play.
- The Reds have seven extra-base hits (three home runs, one triple, three doubles). The Giants have two doubles.
- In Game 2, Joey Votto came up with timely hits at 3-for-4 with two runs (he's batting .429 in two games).
- Game 2 — With runners in scoring position, the Reds were 5-for-11 with two runners left on base with two outs.
- - - -
Game 3 will be the most interesting thus far as the Reds have their first chance at clinching a playoff series win since the '95 NLDS … Here's to Tuesday in the Queen City and hopefully another champagne shower.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.
There is no doubt about it.
The Reds went out to the West Coast, and they left with a combined 14-2 score. They are bringing a 2-0 NLDS lead to the Queen City and are one win away from their first appearance in the NLCS since 1995.
Before all the NLCS talk, the Reds have their biggest game of the season this Tuesday in Game 3 (5:30 p.m. on TBS) of the NLDS against the Giants, who are in survival mode. The Giants have to win … no other choice in the matter, or they have the rest of the postseason off.
How did the Reds get to this point in the postseason?
The postseason started with Cy Young award candidate Johnny Cueto getting back spasms on his eighth pitch Saturday night, followed by 1.2 innings of relief by Sam LeCure (his performance was huge for this team), followed by four innings of pitching by Mat Latos (his performance on the mound was even bigger).
Latos was the scheduled Game 3 starter … he pitched a bullpen session and lifted weights earlier in the day as neither he nor anyone else had any idea what was going to go down later that night.
After Latos' outing … Sean Marshall, Jonathan Broxton (great trade this summer by the Reds) and Aroldis Chapman did what they needed to do to keep the lead.
If a person said the Reds' ace wouldn't get past eight pitches in his start … but the Reds would go on to outscore the Giants by 12 runs in two games on the West Coast … that person would be called a fool.
That person would have been right on the money.
And I've only spoken about the pitching … the five runs scored by the Reds in Game 1 (they won 5-2) or the nine in Game 2 weren't even mentioned.
Add those runs with the Game 2 pitching of Bronson Arroyo's seven scoreless innings of one-hit baseball (four strikeouts), along with the relief pitching of J.J. Hoover (one inning, one walk, one strikeout) and José Arredondo for the 9-0 shutout win.
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There is a different feeling with this team than in '10 … their demeanor from watching on TV (thus far) just seems … more focused. They are doing what playoff teams have to do to advance.
What the Reds did in the past two games has been amazing, to say the least. Most (fans) hoped for a split in San Francisco after two games, but this is the best I've seen this team play all season.
Credit Dusty Baker (and his coaching staff) as well … thus far he's run his pitching staff wonderfully … look at the decision he and his staff made in Game 1 when Cueto went down … they made all the right moves … gave Latos plenty of time to warm up and get ready … and everything went as well as it could have possibly gone for the Reds when their ace left the mound Saturday night.
Here is what jumps out after two games:
- The Giants are 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, including 16 runners left on base (11 in Game 1).
- Brandon Phillips at the plate: 5-for-10 (.500), one run and four RBIs (two games).
- Home runs (3): (Game 1) Phillips, Jay Bruce; (Game 2) Ryan Ludwick.
- Don't forget the 22 hits in two games (13 in Game 2) combined by Cincinnati.
- In 18 innings, the Reds have two or more runs in four of those innings. They have scored at least one run in six different innings.
- The Giants' starting pitching has gone a combined 9.1 innings this postseason… not much for pitchers like Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner.
- More on Ludwick in Game 2: He was 2-for-3, two runs, one RBI, one walk. In Game 1, he drew a walk. He came to play.
- The Reds have seven extra-base hits (three home runs, one triple, three doubles). The Giants have two doubles.
- In Game 2, Joey Votto came up with timely hits at 3-for-4 with two runs (he's batting .429 in two games).
- Game 2 — With runners in scoring position, the Reds were 5-for-11 with two runners left on base with two outs.
- - - -
Game 3 will be the most interesting thus far as the Reds have their first chance at clinching a playoff series win since the '95 NLDS … Here's to Tuesday in the Queen City and hopefully another champagne shower.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.