Reds 9, Pirates 7

Not really sure what I'm doing. I can't imaging recapping baseball games as I do basketball and hockey games, because there are simply too many of them, and because crunch time for classes occurs after Spring Break. And plus, this is preseason, so what a bunch of hogwash. But here I go.

If this is the return to small ball, pitching & defense that the Reds were talking about, it's a sad beginning. I know it's not the season yet, but this had the feel of Reds vs. NLC opponents the year before last and the one before that. The fact that the Reds made it closer in the ninth inning by allowing two more runs and sloppy play isn't great, either. Five errors. Five??? This is what you get for stressing defense and fundamentals?? Let's hope they can put it together.

Paul Wilson got the win, good for him. Salomon Torres got the loss, as he chucked up 4 runs in the fifth.

These players got homers: Dunn, Phillips, Bellhorn (huh?), Keppinger (who?), and Hamilton. The highlight was Hamilton's as it was blasted further than Dunn's. I think that means he gets an automatic roster spot now. Oh well. For the Pirates, Matos got two homers, off the starter Milton and the winner Wilson.

My man Freel is batting 1.000 thus far, and got off to his usual base-running: 1 stolen base, 1 caught stealing. Phillips, Bellhorn, and Hamilton has 2 RBI's.

Milton did not look good (2 innings, 6 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 homers), but that's to be expected. Wilson did better than I would have predicted (2 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 strikeouts), but he was given a lot of credit by a lot of the players and staff, so maybe he'll be good for us again. Saarloos had a great 2 innings with straight 0's across the board (no hits, runs, walks, strikeouts). Same with Coffey's one inning. Cormier wasn't hot, and neither was Salmon.

In much bigger news, the Reds finally got around to signing Dustin Hermanson as the potential closer. Truth be told, we don't need many more relief pitchers, but this guy has the capability to be lights out as a closer, as he was just a couple years ago. It's worth a shot. But then what with Weathers, Cormier, Stanton, and crew? Forget it.

P.S. Marty & Thom Brennaman were making their first starts as father-and-son broadcast team. The fun fact for me about Thom Brennaman is that he called play-by-play for the amazing 2007 Fiesta Bowl where Boise State defeated Oklahoma 43-42.