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Y! MyWebMixed-up lineup powers Reds to 8-5 win over Rockies
Saturday, August 23, 2008
DENVER — Maybe Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker should have re-arranged the deck chairs on his baseball Titanic a long time ago.
Maybe Brandon Phillips is better-suited batting third than fourth.
Maybe Jay Bruce is better suited batting sixth than third.
Maybe Joey Votto is better suited batting fourth.
For one lovely night under Colorado clouds in Coors Field, Baker moved Phillips from fourth to third, moved Joey Votto into the fourth spot and dropped Bruce from third to sixth.
The result on Friday, Aug. 22, was an 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies and over a not-very-good Livan Hernandez. The Reds built an 8-0 lead in the seventh, then had to hold off the onrushing Rockies.
"I know Bruce hit a home run (Thursday in Chicago), but he has been struggling a little bit and I'm going to take a little of it (pressure) off him for a while," said Baker
Of Votto batting fourth, Baker said, "Votto is swinging good (three hits Thursday, including a home run) and that's surprising because he didn't pick up a bat for a week."
Votto missed seven days on bereavement leave after the death of his father.
The result: Phillips crashed a two-run home run in the first, Votto led a four-run fourth with a single, Bruce drove a run-scoring single to left in the fourth, Phillips singled and scored on Votto's double in the fifth.
Votto singled home another run in the seventh, his second straight three-hit night
"I love the 3-spot, but we had other guys here (Ken Griffey Jr.) batting third so I said I didn't like it," Phillips said with a smile. "It is what it is. I just love hitting — first, second, third, fourth — wherever the manager puts me."
But he paused for another of those gleaming smiles and said, "No. 3 is a beautiful spot for me because I like being in situations to be the guy. I feel like I can be that guy."
Aaron Harang finally won his fourth game, his first victory in seven starts. He held the Rockies to no runs and six hits over six innings (115 pitches), evading trouble all the way as the Rockies stranded nine against him.
Colorado had the bases loaded with no outs in the fifth but didn't score as Harang struck out Brad Hawpe on three straight 93 miles an hour fastballs and Garrett Atkins on an 84 miles an hour slider.
"I felt a lot better than I have," said Harang. "We worked on some things this week. Mechanically I was getting out in front of myself instead of keeping my weight back, staying back on the rubber. And he worked on some stuff with the timing of my hands. It all seemed to work."
Of the bases-loaded-and-no-outs mess, Harang said, "I just stayed back and tried to execute my pitches as best I could, go right at 'em instead of nit-pick. Just be aggressive.
"Most everything was fastballs tonight and I was able to move the ball around the zone and up and down," he added.
The usually reliable bullpen nearly let Harang down in this one.
Given an 8-0 lead, Gary Majewski gave up three runs and four hits in the seventh. David Weathers gave up three hits (two infielders) and two runs in the eighth and closer Francisco Cordero put two on in the ninth before ending it.
"Harang got out of some tough jams tonight," said Baker. "He reached back and made some quality pitches at the right time. How long has it been since he won a game (seven starts)? I was just glad we got him a win."
Of the near-fatal ending, Baker said, "Man, it is never easy in this ballpark. The infield is so hard, they bounce balls up the middle for hits, and the outfield is so big, bloopers fall in. They wear out your bullpen. Anything in the gap is a double.
"I think I've managed 90 to 95 games over my career in this park and you never feel comfortable, ever, until the last out, no matter what the score. You have to keep playing. It is different than any other park that I've been in."
Baker liked what he saw from his revised lineup and said of Phillips in the 3-hole, "I'm going to leave him there for a while. He's happy to be there. He hit that two-run homer in the first and had another hit and scored a run, so he had a very productive night there."
