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Y! MyWebMilwaukee 3, Cincinnati 2
Road trip ends on sour note
Bailey hangs with Sabathia, but bullpen blows game late as Reds head into All-Star break winners of 3 of last 4.
Monday, July 14, 2008
MILWAUKEE — It was difficult for the Cincinnati Reds to determine whether to celebrate or commiserate in the Miller Park clubhouse.
There was much to celebrate, even after losing to CC Sabathia 3-2 on pinch-hitter Craig Counsell's walk-off, bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right field on the first pitch by relief pitcher Francisco Cordero.
It still was a profitable trip, 3-3 against the Chicago Cubs and Brewers, although the defeat Sunday, July 13, prevented the Reds from taking a four-game winning streak into the All-Star break.
In what many thought was a bigger mismatch than the U.S. armed forces versus Grenada, Homer Bailey matched Sabathia pitch-for-pitch early.
But, at what price?
The team lost its best offensive weapon when Jerry Hairston Jr. beat out a bunt in the third inning, then crumpled in a heap beyond first base, leaving with a hamstring injury.
The seriousness of that accident will be determined today when Hairston undergoes an MRI in Cincinnati, but when a player needs to be carried into the dugout, that isn't optimistic.
And then are the aches and pains belonging to pitchers Aaron Harang and Jared Burton, with their availability after the break undetermined.
The Reds built an early 2-0 lead, scoring one in the second when Edwin Encarnacion singled, Andy Phillips doubled and, after Corey Patterson was hit by a pitch to load the bases, David Ross hit a sacrifice fly. Still, the Reds had the bases loaded with no outs in the inning and scored only that run.
They added a second run in the third on Adam Dunn's sacrifice fly, this time scoring only one after the first two Reds reached base.
Sabathia provided himself a run by ripping Bailey's one-out 0-2 pitch over the right-field wall in the third, cutting Bailey's lead in half, 2-1.
Bailey was removed in the sixth with two outs, a runner on first and Prince Fielder at bat. Bill Bray walked Fielder and gave up a tying single to Gabe Kapler, wiping out Bailey's potential win.
Bailey gave up two runs, five hits, walked none and struck out four.
It was still 2-2 in the eighth when the Reds put two on with two outs. Ken Griffey Jr. was a brief and ineffective pinch-hitter, striking out on three pitches against Sabathia.
Sabathia was still in there in the ninth and struck out Patterson, Ross and Joey Votto — biff, bam, boom.
David Weathers started the ninth and gave up a single to Bill Hall. Mike Cameron bunted and Weathers threw the ball wildly to first for an error, putting runners on first and third with no outs.
Jason Kendall was walked intentionally to fill the bases. Cordero's walk from the bullpen to the mound lasted longer than it took for him to deliver the game-ending sacrifice fly pitch to Counsell.
Manager Dusty Baker, hyped by his team's three-game winning streak (one in Chicago, the first two in Milwaukee), was effusive before Sunday's game.
"Big game today," he said. "A two-under .500 or or a four-under .500 day. We can start the second half two-under (with a win) or four-under (with a loss). And we have the ultimate challenge in C.C. Sabathia."
