The Reds managed just four hits against Reyes, who struggled in his big league debut last year to the tune of a 6.22 ERA in ten starts, and went hitless against five Braves relievers, losing 9-1.
The game was close through six, with Atlanta holding just a 2-1 lead after six innings. The Reds blew an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the sixth as Adam Dunn struck out to end the frame with the go-ahead run on second. The tight game, however, fell apart in the seventh as the Reds bullpen imploded, allowing six runs and blowing the game open. Mike Lincoln allowed two to reach and Jeremy Affeldt let them score, getting no outs as he allowed a single, bases-loaded walk to Mark Teixeria (when he got ahead 0-2, no less) and a double before exiting. Jared Burton was similarly ineffective relieving Affeldt, allowing an RBI single, double and sacrifice fly before finally ending the inning.
Francisco Cordero allowed a run in the eighth to close out the scoring.
Offensively the Reds now have one run and seven hits in two games and 18 innings of play so far in Atlanta. The loss is the fourth in a row for the Reds, who conclude the series today at 1:35. Bronson Arroyo goes against Tom Glavine (LEFTHANDER ALERT, although lately it really hasn't mattered who the Reds have faced, they aren't scoring).
On the positive side for the Reds, Jeff Keppinger made a couple of nice defensive stops from short, and Matt Belisle pitched well. Paul Daugherty calls out Belisle in a column today in the Enquirer, saying he should be sent down in favor of Homer Bailey if things are still bad in 40 games, but Belisle pitched well enough to win tonight. If the offense can't score more than one or two runs per game it really doesn't matter who starts the game and gets the hard-luck loss every night. The Reds were already burned once by the "let Homer take his lumps in the majors since we're out of it" theory. Best not try it again.
By the way, there are so many things wrong with that Daugherty column it's ridiculous, but this passage stuck out to me...
"There is no way on earth the St. Louis Cardinals have better players than the Reds. Yet after Friday's games, the Redbirds led the division, and Cincinnati, by seven games. Tony La Russa is a tough-minded manager who has imposed his will on his team. Baker should do the same."
Imposed his will? What does that even mean? How are any of the problems with this team the result of Dusty not imposing his will? Look, the middle of the order isn't hitting at all. Hasn't all year. That is the problem. The pitching has been mostly fine. Edwin and Votto are doing what they're supposed to do. Keppinger has been Keppinger. They've gotten more offensively out of the catcher's spot than they probably ever thought they'd get. Dunn and Griffey have been zeroes in the lineup. CF has been a zero in the lineup. Brandon Phillips hasn't performed up to expectations. Add in the pitcher and the Reds have gotten nothing from five out of nine lineup spots. That is the problem.
I don't care who is managing this team, if you take any team in the league and eliminate the three biggest "sure things" in the lineup coming into the year, they're going to struggle. The Cardinals are 19-12 because Pujols has been killing it like always, much of their starting pitching (Piniero, Lohse, Wainwright, Looper) has been excellent, Rick Ankiel has been performing, Skip Schumaker has been making things happen... everyone on that team that they were depending on to carry them has performed at expected levels or better. A lot of that is luck... who thought Kyle Lohse would have a great year? He has so far. Who had even heard of Skip Schumaker coming into the season?
When it's LaRussa all success can be credited to the skipper. Give me a break. I know the Reds have been seeing the Cardinals just dominate them and the division this entire decade, but people need to start looking at the things that ail the Reds on their own, not look at the Cardinals as some kind of distorted reflection of what they could be if only they had the genius of LaRussa, or the best fans, or whatever. The Cardinals are better because they have more money, use the money they do have in more intelligent ways, and have better players. LaRussa doesn't "will" the team to hit. He may or may not be a better tactical manager than Dusty Baker, but players aren't trying harder for St. Louis because LaRussa isn't a "player's manager."
If Dunn, Phillips and Griffey were hitting, the point would be moot. As it is, they just can't score runs. Lineup adjustments need to be made, but the combined genius of Sparky Anderson, Earl Weaver, John McGraw and Casey Stengel couldn't win a pennant with a lineup with five-ninths of the order not performing.
Lost in the Cardinals love is the fact that in 2006 the Cards won just 83 games and barely won a poor division but got hot in the playoffs, and struggled all year last year and didn't even make it to the postseason. 2005 was the last time the Cardinals were dominant, and it remains to be seen whether they can keep the pace up in 2008. They're certainly better than the Reds in recent history, but save the Cardinals lovefest. It gets really tiresome. They have better players, period. They aren't winning because they "want it more" or "do things the right way."
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