CINCINNATI - 2003 GAME RECAPS

April 24th - Cincinnati Reds 3 Los Angeles Dodgers 2 (11) - Attendance 24,333.

This game promised to be a pitching duel as Ryan Dempster started for the Reds against Kevin Brown and the Dodgers, and it did not disappoint. Brown was perfect through 4 innings, and Dempster, although shaky with his control, managed to keep the Dodgers off the scoresheet through 5. In the bottom of the 5th, Aaron Boone hit a solid single to left to break up Brown's perfect game, but Brown struck out Adam Dunn and made a great play on a Juan Castro bunt to keep the game scoreless after 5.

Dempster delivers the first pitch

In the 6th, Brian Jordan walked with one out. After Fred McGriff flew out, Adrian Beltre hit a grounder to Boone, who bobbled it, putting runners on first and second. Alex Cora then singled to right, and Jordan was waved home. But right fielder Jose Guillen threw a perfect strike to catcher Jason LaRue and Jordan was out by 3 steps. He bowled over LaRue, but the catcher held on to the ball to record the out.

And that seemed to get him going as LaRue led off the 6th with a double to deep center. Although Dempster struck out trying to sacrifice, Felipe Lopez followed with a single to center and LaRue scored easily. 1-0 Reds.

The Dodgers replied quickly, however, as Cesar Izturis led off the 7th with a single. Brown sacrificed him to second, and then Dempster collapsed, walking 3 of the next 4 hitters to force in Izturis to tie the game. Dempster was replaced and given a nice ovation as Gabe White came in to get McGriff to foul out.

The Reds took the lead again in the bottom half of the 7th after Sean Casey led off with a single, Brown walked the bases loaded with 1 out. Castro then grounded to second in what looked like a double play ball, but he was called safe at first (a blown call) and pinch-runner Ryan Freel scored on the play.

But again, L.A. replied immediately off Scott Sullivan. With one out, Cora singled and advanced to second on Izturis' groundout. Sullivan was replaced by Kent Mercker, who gave up an RBI double to Mike Kinkade to tie the game at 2. That is how it stayed as both teams went deep into their bullpens. In the bottom of the 10th, Cincinnati threatened with runners on first and third and only one out, but pinch hitter Wily Mo Pena grounded into a 1-4-3 double play.

Willy Mo Pena fouls one off

Finally, in the bottom of the 11th, with Guillermo Mota on the hill, Lopez walked to lead off and was sacrificed to second by Guillen. This brought Reggie Taylor, who had entered the game for defensive purposes, to the plate. On a 2-1 pitch, he hit a single to right. Lopez was waved as Shawn Green came up throwing. Lopez raced home as the ball came in to Paul LoDuca, but it wasn't even close. Lopez slid home safely and the Reds won! 3-2 in 11! What a great game!

April 25th - San Diego Padres 7 at Cincinnati Reds 3 - Attendance 22,453.

Jeff Austin was making his first career major league start for the Reds, and he started well, striking out the first two hitters and getting Ryan Klesko to pop out. But Padres' starter Jake Peavy matched him, striking out the side in the first. 

Austin walked two in the 2nd inning, but escaped, while Peavy walked one and also escaped. The Padres broke the tie in the third when Rondell White doubled home Ramon Vazquez and Klesko, who had both walked. Peavy remained unhittable, and actually had a no-no going through 5.

In the 6th, Xavier Nady crushed a pitch to deep right-center for a 2-run homer, and it was 4-0 Padres. The only question left was how long could Peavy keep his no-hitter going. The answer - not long. Kelly Stinnett led off the 6th with a solid single, but was erased on a double play.

The Padres added a run in the 7th on a single, outfield error (Adam Dunn's second of the game) that allowed him to get to second, sacrifice by Peavy, and sacrifice fly by Vazquez. 

The game looked over, but Jose Guillen homered to lead off the 7th, and a walk and a single chased Peavy. Mike Mathews and Luther Hackman got out of the jam, allowing one more run to score to make it 5-2, but the Padres put it out of reach when Shane Victorino doubled home 2 in the 8th. Reds pinch-hitter Reggie Taylor homered in the 8th to make it 7-3, but Jesse Orosco pitched a scoreless 9th for the Padres to preserve the win. Not a great game once the no-hitter bid was quashed as Cincinnati never really threatened, with only 4 hits for the game.

April 26th - San Diego Padres 6 at Cincinnati Reds 7 (10) - Attendance 23,521.

This was a game highlighted by lowlights. The San Diego pitchers tied a club record by walking 13 hitters, but Cincinnati could not capitalize, going 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranding 18 runners. But there were several lead changes, and it was a sunny afternoon, so no one seemed to mind.

The Reds scored first on a 2-run homer from Adam Dunn in the 2nd inning, and added another run in the 3rd. Rondell White replied in the Padre 4th with a shot of his own to make it 3-1. In the 6th, Ryan Klesko sent a deep shot to left with 2 runners on and suddenly it was 4-3 Padres. But the Reds fought back, using a bunt single and stolen base by Ryan Freel and an RBI single by Jose Guillen to tie it at 4.

Both teams scored 2 in the 7th and we went to extra innings tied at 6. Felix Heredia walked Klesko with one out in the 10th, but got White and Sean Burroughs to end the inning. In the bottom half, Adam Dunn walked with one out and Austin Kearns (who did not start for the first time all season, but pinch hit in the 7th) doubled. Felipe Lopez was intentionally walked and the Padres brought in Luther Hackman to replace Jaret Wright. Kelly Stinnett promptly struck out to bring Ruben Mateo to the plate. He worked the count full and then, with the crowd on its feet, watched as ball four arrived. Reds Win!!! A bases-loaded walk is anti-climatic, but still better than another loss. An interesting game, but not a pretty one.