Random Reds Ruminations, Marlins 7 Reds 6, April 29

Travis Wood must really like touring the Louisville Slugger factory. The way he is pitching lately, he is putting himself in prime position to be able to take that tour anytime he wants. With Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey poised to come off the DL in the next week or so, Wood is making Walt Jocketty's decision on who to send down a pretty easy one. 

- Travis Wood barely managed to get out of the first inning, and as it ended up, only lasted 3.1 innings. Wood surrendered 5 runs in the first inning on 6 hits. He then gave up 2 more in the 4th, and that was it. The most frustrating part of the first inning was that 4 of those 6 hits came with 2 strikes on the batter. Wood just could not finish batters off, throwing pitches that were too good in counts that were in his favor.

- Offensively, the Reds scattered seven hits. They did put up a fight in the 9th inning against Marlins closer Leo Nunez. Trailing 7-4 going into the inning, The Reds scored two runs on a Janish double and a Stubbs single. Stubbs then stole second base, but Jay Bruce struck out LOOKING to end the game. C'mon Jay, swing the bat.

- The bright spot for Cincinnati was again the bullpen. After relieving Wood in the 4th inning, the relievers (Carlos Fisher, Jordan Smith, Nick Masset, and Bill Bray) combined for 5.2 innings, and did not allow a run. That group only allowed 3 hits, and struck out 5 while walking only 1. The strong performance let the Reds try to mount a comeback. Masset was maybe the most impressive, setting the Marlins down in order in the 8th on only 7 pitches.

- At the time it didn't seem like a big deal because the Reds were trailing 5-1, but it turned out to be a big deal, so I feel justified in mentioning it. Why did Dusty Baker pitch to Hanley Ramirez in the 4th inning? Situation: runners on second and third with one out. Rather than walking Ramirez and taking his chances for an inning-ending double play with Gaby Sanchez, Baker elects to pitch to Ramirez with the infield drawn in. Ramirez singles on a hard ground ball up the middle, plating the deciding runs. 

- The bonehead play of the night goes to MVP Joey Votto. Votto led off the bottom of the 6th with a line drive single into right-center. With the play right in front of him, Joey decides to try to stretch it into a double, with his team trailing by three runs. He is thrown out by 15 feet. We need to expect more from our MVP. 

So after letting the first game of the series get away, the Reds (13-13), find themselves two games behind the Cardinals (15-11) in the Central as they look to even the series tonight against the Marlins (16-8). The crowd should be electric as it is Joey Votto MVP Bobblehead Night at GABP. The Marlins send ace and "no-hitter waiting to happen" Josh Johnson (3-0, 1.06 ERA) to the mound, and Cincinnati counters with their ace, Edinson Volquez (2-1, 6.35 ERA), who looked good last time out against St. Louis, except for one pitch to Yadier Molina.