Game 116: Bruuuuuuuuce! Reds Win 70th in Walk-Off Fashion

Mets Can't Solve Latos, Reds Finally Drive In Runs in the 9th

By Ryan Bramwell
New York   0   6   0  (55-61)
Cincinnati   3  11  1  (70-46)

W: Jose Arredondo (5-2)
L: Manny Acosta (1-3)

Box Score

• Recap:
• The Reds left 14 men on base.  Fourteen.  But the Mets themselves left ten on base...and they lost the game.  So, in this instance I will take the good with the bad.  Mat Latos continued to look immensely impressive during his outing on Tuesday night.  Unfortunately, Latos was not attributed with the win, however he was a significant factor.  The other significant factor was Bruce's walk-off three-run homer, of course.  The win last night gives the Redlegs 70 of them on the season.  They are 24 games over .500 and six games ahead of the second-place Pirates (and seven up on the Cardinals).  The 6-game lead is tied for the largest among all division leaders in the MLB.  Texas and the Yankees both have a half a dozen games between them and their closest division enemy as well.  Only the Nationals have a better record than the Reds in all of baseball at 72-45. 
• The Call: If you were watching FS Ohio, then you heard good ol' George Grande attempting to yell, "And its gone! Gone! Gone!" through his hoarse vocal cords.  I feel like there is always a special ending to a Reds game when George Grande makes an appearance in the booth.  If you were listening to Marty Brennaman on WLW, then you got a very boisterous version of his "And this one belongs to the Reds!" tagline.  Baseball Tonight played both calls when they showed the game highlights.  I heard/watched both calls because I am an insane person that has to get the most out of every Reds game and every call.  That's just pure Reds fandom though, right?
• Reds Offense:
• Jay Bruce: Why not start with him, right?  Bruce struck out badly on two separate occasions but was able to totally redeem himself.  Jay hit his 28th double of the season in the game, but it was his 9th inning at-bat that provided the sweetest redemption.  After a walk to Brandon Phillips and a single from Ryan Ludwick, Bruce stepped up to the plate with two on and nobody out in the home 9th of a tie ballgame.  He watched the first two pitches go by for a ball and then a strike.  Jay proceeded to foul the next four pitches off.  He looked different than usual in this appearance.  He was fouling off tough pitches and staying alive.  In the seventh pitch of the at-bat Jay unloaded on a 95mph fastball that he muscled out to left-center field and over the wall.  Game over.  It was Jables' 23rd homer and RBIs number 70-71-and-72 on the year.  According to Redleg Nation, it was Bruce's sixth career walkoff hit and his fourth career walkoff homer.
• Zack Cozart and Ryan Hanigan both had a single, a double, and a walk on the night.  It was Cozy's 25th double and Hanigan's 12th. Very nice, gentlemen.
• Ryan Ludwick had a pair of hits including his 23rd dub-dub on the season.
• Stubbs and Frazier both had a hit.
• Phillips walked from home plate to first base three times on the night.
• Mat Latos reached base twice as he hit a single and drew a walk.
• Reds Pitching:
• Mat Latos: 7.0 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 SO (104 Pitches/71 Strikes).  What a terrific night on the mound it was for the young right-hander.  He brilliantly worked out of the limited trouble he got himself into.  Latos has allowed one run over his last three starts (21.1 IP).
• Marshall pitched an inning, didn't allow a hit, walked a batter and struck out a pair.
• Arredondo gave up a hit and a walk in the 9th inning, but nothing else as he was given the "W" thanks to Bruce's heroics.