DatDudeBP Walks-Off To Start 2nd Half

By:  Coop

The Reds had a poor 1st half, but they were ready to put that behind them and start a new chapter in the season, and get back to playing winning baseball.  In order to finish this series with a winning record, they would need to take game 1.  At first it looked like they would, then maybe would, they would, then it didn't, and then they did! Brandon Phillips aka DatDudeBP hit a walk-off 2-run home run to give the Reds a 6-5 win.  Here is how.


Chris Heisey was getting an unfortunately rare start in center field, and he showed Dusty Baker why he should start more often.  In the top of the 1st Albert Pujols hit one to deep center, and Chris robbed Albert of a home run!


Now how many times do we see someone do something on defense and then do something on offense? Pretty often.  Chris Heisey did.  He lead off the 1st and went yard to left, Reds up 1-0.


Then in the 5th Heisey was at it again as he hit another solo home run to left, 2-0.


The Cardinals would get on the board when David Freese grounded out, a run would score though, 2-1, that was in the 7th by-the-way.  Next batter was Yadier Molina, and he hit an RBI ground-out to tie the game at 2.  Then Tony Cruz hit an RBI single to give St. Louis the lead.


But Cincinnati responded.


In the bottom of the 7th Zack Cozart hit an RBI single to short (he legged it out), Stubbs would score, the Reds tied it up. That was Zack's 1st big league RBI.  The next batter was Joey Votto, he hit a ground-rule double, the run would score, and the Reds had their lead back, 4-3.


That lead would not last though.


In the 8th inning Albert hit a 2-run jack to left, a long ball to give the Cards a 5-4 lead, poop.


Then we went into the 9th inning with Heisey leading it off.  Well he was fanned.  Then came Cozart, he hit a ground ball up the middle for a base hit.  Way to keep an inning alive.  Then Votto came up.  He flew out to right.  Then it was up to Brandon Phillips to keep the game alive.  The count was 1-0 and he hit one to deep left-center field.  It was going back....back....back....back....GONE, HOME RUN BRANDON PHILLIPS, REDS WIN! REDS WIN! Yup.  Final score, 6-5.


While Phillips was the "hero" of the game, Scott Rolen did something amazing.  He hit his 500th career double, congratulations to him.  


Johnny Cueto deserved to win, but got a no-decision.  Johnny went 7 innings, gave up 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned, walked 2, and struck-out 2.


The Reds are now 46-47 and 3 games behind Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh for 1st place.


Tomorrow Bronson Arroyo will take the hill for the Reds, while the hated Chris Carpenter will take the hill for the other team.  Game time is set for 7:10 PM ET and the game will be on FS Ohio.