India and Votto lift Sonny Gray to victory.

It was one hell of a fun night for the Cincinnati Reds.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Stars of the Game

Sonny Gray - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Jonathan India - 3 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB

Votto bangs and all of that stuff. While I don’t like keeping the big guy from the JNMHSotG when he’s on a big tear this was a game the Reds desperately needed from Sonny Gray. Gray had two bad back to back games and his previous start against the Cardinals was likely one of the worst of his career. Sonny started tonight’s game looking like it would be another struggle but he got a strikeout and a double play to get himself out of a jam and then he was nearly unhittable for the final five innings. He was pulled at 95 pitches which is all well and good in my perspective. Get him out of there with his head held high.

I really wasn’t expecting having to add Jonathan India to this list, and by the end of the game I had to. I know there are a few rookies having tremendous seasons but this guy is almost leading all of MLB in OBP and is hitting the piss out of the baseball. Everything is just going right for this team right now and it’s so so so so so so fun.

Honorable Mentions - Joey Votto obviously gets a shoutout for hitting a home run in eight straight games, something I will likely never see again. He also walked. Eugenio Suarez singled, walked, and scored a run, and Tyler Stephenson gets a slap on the back for coming off the bench with a double. Michael Lorenzen and Mychal Givens should also get recognition for their work in the pen, keeping the Mets at bay.

Key Plays

• Jonathan India led off the game with a solo home run. It came on the first pitch. Reds lead, 1-0.
• Sonny Gray had tons of trouble in the first. Some of it was BABIP issues that other was just getting hit hard. Brandon Nimmo led off the game with a single, Jeff McNeil doubled down the left field line which scored Nimmo. Pete Alonso walked and Dominic Smith singled to load the bases with no one out. Sonny then got a strikeout and a groundball to end the threat. Tie game.
• Sonny Gray seemed to settle down a bit which let the Reds offense get back to work in the top of the 4th. Jonathan India hit a double, his third time of base in the game, and then Jesse Winker hit a single to knock him in. Farmer flied out to right to end the threat but the Reds lead, 2-1.
• JOEY VOTTO BANGS! REDS LEAD, 3-1.
• Michael Lorenzen and Mychal Givens came in to keep the game at 3-1. Lorenzen was particularly impressive with an eight pitch 1-2-3 inning. In the top of the 9th, Eugenio Suarez led off with a single and Tyler Stephenson knocked a clutch pinch hit double. Aristides Aquino also came in to pinch hit and hit a sacrifice fly that almost fell for a hit. JONATHAN INDIA THEN BLASTED A BALL INTO DEEP LEFT CENTERFIELD! It was his first multi-dinger game of his career and his 10th of the year. Reds lead, 6-1.
• Since he was already warmed up, Amir Garrett was brought into finish out the game. He gave up a single, a balk, and then a doubled to Brandon Drury and then gave up a walk. Tucker Barnhart then let a pitch get by advancing the runners to second and third and the Mets were suddenly feeling some life. He then struck out McCann to seal it. REDS WIN, 6-2!

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Joey Votto became the first Red and eighth player in MLB history to hit a homerun in seven straight games.
• If you ever want to really get the in to what is happening with the Cincinnati Reds C. Trent Rosecrans is your mandatory read. Obviously, he dives deeper into the Joey Votto historic streak and you should read this article. It also gets into the song that Joey Votto sings as he rounds the bases.
• Michael Lorenzen came back to the Reds today and pitched. It’s pretty ridiculous how quickly he came back a pulled hamstring and was out there chucking 98 MPH fastballs.
• ‘Ol buddy, Scoberg, makes a good point.

• Couldn’t happen to a better franchise.
• Tunes