Bucs Take See-Saw Game In 10th, 9-7

The tarp went down around six; the game's first pitch was delayed 1/2 hour. That wasn't enough time to cool off Cutch, who doubled home Josh Bell (he walked, natch). Andrew touched the dish after Gregory launched a ball into the seats in RC; Robert Stephenson isn't off to a very hot start. JHK got brushed by a pitch; the Reds protested to no avail. No diff, tho, as S-Rod rolled over on a curve and bounced into a 6-4-3 DP. with two gone, Joey Votto singled; what a second half. Then Adam Duvall doubled him to third; Vogey isn't setting the world aflame either. Brandon Phillips singled home a run before calm was restored.

The bottom of the Buc order went down 1-2-3 in the second. A walk and a Ramon Cabrera homer tied the game quickly enough. Then, oddly enough, V-Song struck out the side, helped by some very generous calls by ump Gerry Davis. In the third, Cutch walked after two whiffs before Gregory lined out. Cincy just worked a walk in their half. JHK opened the fourth with a free pass and that was it. Cabrera singled with an out, but Stephenson shot himself in the foot by bunting into a 3-6-4 DP keyed by quick reactions and strong tosses by JJ and Jordy.

JHK is in beast mode (photo Ann Heisenfeld/AP)

JJ smacked a two-bagger in the fifth with one away, just missing a dinger. J-Bell's knock put Buccos at the corners and a Cutch walk juiced the sacks. After smokin' a pair of balls in his first two ABs, Gregory popped out. JHK picked up a freebie RBI, getting bopped for the second time on a 1-2 curve that didn't. The Bucs could have had another, but Bell didn't react to a passed ball when on third; maybe because S-Rod swung, he thought it was a foul. Still... S-Rod whiffed to end the music. The lead didn't last long - a Reds single, bunt, Votto single combo tied it up. After a lineout, Vogey dropped JJ's flip at first. That brought Zach Phillips on, who promptly served up a triple to Scott Schebler to make it 6-4 before shutting the door.

Jumbo Diaz claimed the bump in the sixth. After fanning a pair, Alen Hanson hustled a single into a double; the kid can fly. JJ was due up; lefty Wandy Peralta came in, and so did Freeser. Lotta work for naught as David grounded out to third. Tyler Glasnow got the ball and tossed a clean frame, although he did go to three balls on two of the batters. Blake Wood opened the seventh. El Coffee singled with two gone, one a bit of robbery committed on Bell's liner to left, and trotted home after JHK drilled a 2-0 center cut slider over the CF fence to tie the match. Juan Nicasio answered the phone and tucked the Reds away quietly.

Gregory was squarin' it up (Ron Chenay/USA Today)

Michael Lorenzen climbed the hill for the eighth and surrendered just a walk. Felipe Rivero whiffed a couple in a clean frame. Raisel Iglesias worked the ninth and gave up a one-out knock to Cutch before the old Achilles Heel, the GIDP, reappeared on another hard hit but poorly aimed swat by Gregory. Antonio Bastardo was waved on and took it into the 10th.

Tony Cingrani opened the extra frame by walking JHK and S-Rod legging out an infield knock. P-Flo ran for JHK. Fran bunted and did a good job of it, hustling the squib out (the safe call held up after review) to load the bases. Jordy's knock brought in a run. Jason Rogers pinch hit, and hit into a short-to-home force, after an appeal confirmed Rogers was safe at first (the Reds didn't like S-Rod's slide at home & wanted interference) and got Bryan Price ejected. After the ado, Freeser singled up the middle to chase home a pair. A soft grounder moved the Bucs to second and third. That brought Josh Smith in to put it to rest.

Freeser's knock chased home the winning runs (photo via ESPN)

Tony Watson was called for the save and *sheesh* gave up a leadoff homer to Steve Selsky, his first MLB long fly. Then it became elementary as he 1-2-3'ed Votto, Adam Duvall and Brandon Phillips.

The Bucs don't make it easy - an error cost them a pair of runs and a nap on the bases another. But they overcame themselves and the Reds, thx to five strong innings from the pen, so it's all good. Tomorrow should be interesting - the next game starts in 12-1/2 hours, and the two managers burned 13 relievers tonight with a double dip tomorrow.  Good thing it's September. A final thought - Vogey is a great story, but it's time he was sent to the pen. He shouldn't be blocking Trevor Williams, Tyler Glasnow and Drew Hutchison.

• Cutch and Gregory each had a pair of hits; El Coffee roped four balls in five at-bats. 
• In his last seven plate appearances, JHK is 2-for-2 with a HR & 2B, has drawn three walks and been bopped twice.
• Juan Nicasio's strikeout of Hernan Iribarren was his 28th straight relief appearance with a whiff, a club record. The streak started July 2nd.
• JHK's long fly was the 93rd homer off a Reds reliever this year, an MLB record. It broke the previous mark of 92 set in 1964 by the KC Athletics bullpen.
• The two clubs put on a clutch clinic tonight, combining to go 8-for-16 w/RISP.
• AJ Schugel threw a bullpen session today as he tries to get back into game shape before the clock runs out.