The Reds Report, September 17th
[caption id="attachment_227949" align="aligncenter" width="487"]
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
As hard as it may be to find positives at this point in the season for the Cincinnati Reds, this past week was about as close to positive as Reds' fans could hope for. After losing three straight games to end last week, the Redlegs bounced back with a 5-2 week, including a weekend sweep of NL Central rival Pittsburgh Pirates.
Starting pitching stepping up their game
Any Reds' fan knows that the primary issue for this team all season long was not on the offensive side, but was mostly due to struggles with the pitching staff. Short starts leading to a gassed bullpen were a recipe for a lot of losses throughout the year. However, this week saw the starting pitching really show their potential. In four of the five wins this week, Cincinnati starters held the opposing team to 1 run or less. In the fifth win, the starting pitcher only surrendered 2 runs to fit with the theme of the week. Yesterday's start from Sal Romano was particularly pretty.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/909199557904478208
Reds tie franchise record set in 1956
As I mentioned earlier, the Cincinnati Reds have actually had a pretty solid offense for the most part of this season. Today, the offense provided further proof, as a Scooter Gennett home run in the 6th inning gave the Reds five different players with 25 or more home runs on the season. This number ties a franchise record that was set for the Reds all the way back in 1956. Joey Votto (35), Adam Duvall (31), Scott Schebler (27), Eugenio Suarez (26), and Scooter Gennett (25) could be joined with a record setting sixth member before the season ends as shortstop Zach Cozart is sitting at 22 bombs on the year.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/909495195061964800
The 29th anniversary of the first perfect game in Reds history
Yesterday was September 16th, which is a date that lies in the annals of Reds history as Tom Browning's perfect game. Browning sat down all 27 hitters he faced, throwing strikes on 72 of his 100 total pitches. An even crazier note is that he didn't throw 3 balls to any one batter all game. Browning remains the only Cincinnati Red to ever throw a perfect game.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/909054785017413632
The ultimate pitcher's duel
Speaking of "On this date in Reds history", a week ago today was perhaps the greatest starting pitching performance in Major League Baseball history. Cincinnati starter Johnny Vander Meer threw 15 shutout innings, including 14 strikeouts against the Dodgers. The game went 19 innings, and ended in a 0-0 tie as the game was called due to darkness.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/907284621477466113
The Week Ahead
With the win today over the Pirates, the Reds record sits at 66-84. Cincinnati only totaled 68 wins last season, and with 12 games remaining on the schedule before they close up shop, the Reds should surpass that win total in 2017. This week is the final homestand for the Reds, hosting three games against the St. Louis Cardinals, and three games against the Boston Red Sox. Tuesday is Military Appreciation Day, Thursday is a Bark in the Park night, Friday will be the last Fireworks Friday of the season, and Saturday is Tucker Barnhart bobblehead night for the first 20,000 fans.
@BrettBibbinsKSR
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
As hard as it may be to find positives at this point in the season for the Cincinnati Reds, this past week was about as close to positive as Reds' fans could hope for. After losing three straight games to end last week, the Redlegs bounced back with a 5-2 week, including a weekend sweep of NL Central rival Pittsburgh Pirates.
Starting pitching stepping up their game
Any Reds' fan knows that the primary issue for this team all season long was not on the offensive side, but was mostly due to struggles with the pitching staff. Short starts leading to a gassed bullpen were a recipe for a lot of losses throughout the year. However, this week saw the starting pitching really show their potential. In four of the five wins this week, Cincinnati starters held the opposing team to 1 run or less. In the fifth win, the starting pitcher only surrendered 2 runs to fit with the theme of the week. Yesterday's start from Sal Romano was particularly pretty.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/909199557904478208
Reds tie franchise record set in 1956
As I mentioned earlier, the Cincinnati Reds have actually had a pretty solid offense for the most part of this season. Today, the offense provided further proof, as a Scooter Gennett home run in the 6th inning gave the Reds five different players with 25 or more home runs on the season. This number ties a franchise record that was set for the Reds all the way back in 1956. Joey Votto (35), Adam Duvall (31), Scott Schebler (27), Eugenio Suarez (26), and Scooter Gennett (25) could be joined with a record setting sixth member before the season ends as shortstop Zach Cozart is sitting at 22 bombs on the year.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/909495195061964800
The 29th anniversary of the first perfect game in Reds history
Yesterday was September 16th, which is a date that lies in the annals of Reds history as Tom Browning's perfect game. Browning sat down all 27 hitters he faced, throwing strikes on 72 of his 100 total pitches. An even crazier note is that he didn't throw 3 balls to any one batter all game. Browning remains the only Cincinnati Red to ever throw a perfect game.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/909054785017413632
The ultimate pitcher's duel
Speaking of "On this date in Reds history", a week ago today was perhaps the greatest starting pitching performance in Major League Baseball history. Cincinnati starter Johnny Vander Meer threw 15 shutout innings, including 14 strikeouts against the Dodgers. The game went 19 innings, and ended in a 0-0 tie as the game was called due to darkness.
https://twitter.com/Reds/status/907284621477466113
The Week Ahead
With the win today over the Pirates, the Reds record sits at 66-84. Cincinnati only totaled 68 wins last season, and with 12 games remaining on the schedule before they close up shop, the Reds should surpass that win total in 2017. This week is the final homestand for the Reds, hosting three games against the St. Louis Cardinals, and three games against the Boston Red Sox. Tuesday is Military Appreciation Day, Thursday is a Bark in the Park night, Friday will be the last Fireworks Friday of the season, and Saturday is Tucker Barnhart bobblehead night for the first 20,000 fans.
@BrettBibbinsKSR
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