Reds are NL Central champions once again
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds are once again champions of the NL Central.
Jay Bruce, in similar fashion as he did in 2010, helped bring another division title to Cincinnati as his fourth-inning home run to right field (on the first pitch of the at-bat) jump-started the Reds to a 6-0 win Saturday at Great American Ball Park over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The division championship is the second in the past three seasons for the Reds as they gained their 92nd win of the season.
The score was tied at zero until the bottom of the fourth, as Bruce sent the aforementioned first pitch 443 feet to the right field seats for the 1-0 lead.
"Honestly, at the end of the day, it's no different because it's still winning (compared to 2010)," Bruce said. "We've worked really hard this year, just like we did then. We deserve this … we deserve a lot more, and we are going to go get it.
"Those two years ('10-11) have prepared us for this year, and I think we know what needs to go on a daily basis to be successful. If I don't think that (being the best team in baseball), then there is something wrong with me."
That score later went to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth with Todd Frazier sending the baseball to left-centerfield to score Brandon Phillips (2-for-3, one walk) from second base with two outs. In the same inning, Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to nine games on a base hit.
"This is the first step … the first of many. We're going to love this moment, but right now we're just going to do what we have to do," Frazier said. "This is unbelievable … I knew something good was going to happen this year, and I'm so happy right now."
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Cincinnati continued to secure the lead with Phillips hitting a two-out solo home run (a curveball) in the bottom of the seventh. For good measure, Cincinnati added three more runs in the eighth inning with Frazier, Bruce and Chris Heisey all crossing home plate, when Frazier scored on an error, while Bruce and Heisey scored on a base hit by Zack Cozart.
Mat Latos gained the win on the mound for the Reds as he went eight scoreless innings. Latos (13-4) allowed no runs on six hits and no walks with seven strikeouts. In his last 17 starts, Latos is 8-2 with a ERA of 2.52 (117.2 IP).
Aroldis Chapman pitched the final inning for the Reds (his first apperance in 12 days), allowing no hits and one walk.
Dodgers starting pitcher Stephen Fife (0-2) lasted five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, two walks and one hit batter for the loss.
The division title for the Reds comes without manager Dusty Baker in the dugout, as he's still in a Chicago hospital with an irregular heartbeat.
This is Cincinnati's 92nd win of the season in 152 games, as this is General Manager Walt Jocketty's ninth division title and Baker's fifth.
"When you reach the playoffs, it's key to play well when you get there … we'll see how it goes," Reds third baseman Scott Rolen said. "Obviously, you want to play good baseball all the way through … you want to get guys healthy, swing the bats, keep pitching and when the playoffs start, you know you are going as good as you can go.
"You have a pretty good idea when you are going to have (these moments), and that's not very often. Some guys it's never in their career, so we have a nice thing going here with a good group of guys and great players. You don't take anything for granted and savor these moments and get ready for the playoffs and hopefully we can do this three more times."
GAME NOTES: Bruce has 97 RBIs this season (tied for career-high in '11) ... The Reds lead the NL Central by 12.5 games ... This was Phillips' 51st multi-hit game of the season ... Votto is batting (11-for-31, .355, 3 doubles, 4 RBIs) since returning from the DL ... The game was a sellout at 41,117 ... Game time was 2:55.
BOX SCORE
LA — 000 000 000 — 0 6 1
CIN — 000 110 13x — 6 8 0
Jay Bruce, in similar fashion as he did in 2010, helped bring another division title to Cincinnati as his fourth-inning home run to right field (on the first pitch of the at-bat) jump-started the Reds to a 6-0 win Saturday at Great American Ball Park over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The division championship is the second in the past three seasons for the Reds as they gained their 92nd win of the season.
The score was tied at zero until the bottom of the fourth, as Bruce sent the aforementioned first pitch 443 feet to the right field seats for the 1-0 lead.
"Honestly, at the end of the day, it's no different because it's still winning (compared to 2010)," Bruce said. "We've worked really hard this year, just like we did then. We deserve this … we deserve a lot more, and we are going to go get it.
"Those two years ('10-11) have prepared us for this year, and I think we know what needs to go on a daily basis to be successful. If I don't think that (being the best team in baseball), then there is something wrong with me."
That score later went to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth with Todd Frazier sending the baseball to left-centerfield to score Brandon Phillips (2-for-3, one walk) from second base with two outs. In the same inning, Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to nine games on a base hit.
"This is the first step … the first of many. We're going to love this moment, but right now we're just going to do what we have to do," Frazier said. "This is unbelievable … I knew something good was going to happen this year, and I'm so happy right now."
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Cincinnati continued to secure the lead with Phillips hitting a two-out solo home run (a curveball) in the bottom of the seventh. For good measure, Cincinnati added three more runs in the eighth inning with Frazier, Bruce and Chris Heisey all crossing home plate, when Frazier scored on an error, while Bruce and Heisey scored on a base hit by Zack Cozart.
Mat Latos gained the win on the mound for the Reds as he went eight scoreless innings. Latos (13-4) allowed no runs on six hits and no walks with seven strikeouts. In his last 17 starts, Latos is 8-2 with a ERA of 2.52 (117.2 IP).
Aroldis Chapman pitched the final inning for the Reds (his first apperance in 12 days), allowing no hits and one walk.
Dodgers starting pitcher Stephen Fife (0-2) lasted five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, two walks and one hit batter for the loss.
The division title for the Reds comes without manager Dusty Baker in the dugout, as he's still in a Chicago hospital with an irregular heartbeat.
This is Cincinnati's 92nd win of the season in 152 games, as this is General Manager Walt Jocketty's ninth division title and Baker's fifth.
"When you reach the playoffs, it's key to play well when you get there … we'll see how it goes," Reds third baseman Scott Rolen said. "Obviously, you want to play good baseball all the way through … you want to get guys healthy, swing the bats, keep pitching and when the playoffs start, you know you are going as good as you can go.
"You have a pretty good idea when you are going to have (these moments), and that's not very often. Some guys it's never in their career, so we have a nice thing going here with a good group of guys and great players. You don't take anything for granted and savor these moments and get ready for the playoffs and hopefully we can do this three more times."
GAME NOTES: Bruce has 97 RBIs this season (tied for career-high in '11) ... The Reds lead the NL Central by 12.5 games ... This was Phillips' 51st multi-hit game of the season ... Votto is batting (11-for-31, .355, 3 doubles, 4 RBIs) since returning from the DL ... The game was a sellout at 41,117 ... Game time was 2:55.
BOX SCORE
LA — 000 000 000 — 0 6 1
CIN — 000 110 13x — 6 8 0