The Lizard Wins!

Elizardo Ramirez did a fantastic job of filling in for Milton last night. Only 6 hits, 2 runs and a walk in 7 innings. I seem to recall not being a big fan of his last year. He changed my mind last night. It's also nice to see the Reds go into the 9th with a small lead and come out with the same lead. The final score was Reds 4, Nationals 2.

Cincinnati got to work early with three runs in the in 1st. Felipe Lopez doubled in Ryan Freel and moved to third on an error. Lopez scored on Adam Dunn's groundout, and Austin Kearns was brought in by Edwin Encarnacion's double. That was about the last time Dunn and Kearns did anything productive. It makes me very sad. :( See how sad?

The Nationals thought they were going to play, too, and added a run of their own in the 1st. Alfonso Soriano came in on Nick Johnson's single. Then the Nats bats were quiet for quite some time.

In the 2nd, Javier Valentin pulled off a triple and later scored on Lopez's single. That would be the end of the scoring for the Reds, but it was all they needed.

In the 6th Jose Vidro came home when Jose Guillen singled, bringing the score to its final 4-2. Shortly after, Brandon Phillips showed off some defensive (and just downright athletic) prowess and leapt 208 feet in the air to get Ryan Church out. I'm pretty sure that's what happened, anyway.

Nothing much of consequence happened in the remaining innings. Elizardo did get his first major league hit in the 7th. It came to nothing, but he did it. Ramirez made it through the 7th. He came back for the 8th, but after Soriano made it to 1st he was replaced by Brian Shackelford, who got an out and then beaned Johnson. He was booed (because, you know, he did it on purpose), and then Todd Coffey charged to the mound. I love watching him run out of the bullpen. He needs a jouster on his back. Coffey finished out the 8th and David Weathers came in for the 9th. Though I didn't really want to see Weathers out there for some reason, and though he walked the first batter post-haste, he managed to get rid of the next three and get the save.

Cincinnati now has a record of 13 and 7, which, I have been told, is their best start since 1994. Go Reds!

And happy birthday to Christina!!