The Reds were getting it handed to them.
It was a cold, hazy afternoon on the last day of March in this year of our lord two-thousand eleven. Edinson Volquez, the starting pitcher, as announced a few weeks ago by Dusty Toothpick, gave up the first season-starting back-to-back homeruns in 42 years.
Everytime the Reds would get a run closer to Milwaukee, the Brewers would take a run back. It wasn’t until the bottom of the 7th that the Reds stopped the bleeding, trailing 6-2. Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto hit a solo shot to make it 6-3, fanning the coals of a smoldering fire.
That smoldering was all but extinguished after the Reds failed to take advantage of opportunities in the remainder of the 7th and in their half of the 8th.
The Reds bullpen did their part, keeping the potent Brewers offense from scoring in the top halves of the 8th & 9th. In the bottom of the 9th, the Brewers “closer of the future” John Axford, filling the enormous shoes of future Hall-of-Famer Trevor Hoffman, came on to try and do what Hoffman had done more than anyone else in history – close out the game.
Axford allowed a single to Brandon Phillips, then issued a walk to Votto. Scott Rolen sent a bouncer to third base, where the Brewers’ hot corner man Casey McGehee missed the tag on Phillips and failed to throw out the hustling Rolen at first. Jay Bruce, whose exploits last season on Clinchmas were well documented on this site, came to the plate and the stadium couldn’t help but wonder if he could do it again. And then he promptly struck out. One out.
Johnny Gomes had visions of fireworks in his head, but these were extinguished by Axford on some high heat that Gomes popped to deep center field – deep enough to score Phillips tagging from third. Two outs, 6-4 BrewCrew.
It also sounded like this.
Bless Marty Brennaman’s dulcet tones.
God’s in his heaven and all’s right on Earth.
adam ate the city. 