CINCINNATI - After winning the first two games of the series, the Cincinnati Reds went down stubbornly in the finale, using everything but handto-hand combat and machetes before losing in 10 innings, 8-7 to the St. Louis Cardinals - and as manager Dusty Baker would call it, "A big-time loss, one I really, really wanted."
What's the difference? A twogame swing in the standings, that's what. Had the Reds won Sunday, May 10, and swept the series, they would today stand tall, only a half-game out of first place. Instead they fell back by 2? games as they embark on a sixgame western swing, beginning tonight in the Arizona desert against the Diamondbacks.
Baker knew what was coming and said before the game, "This will be a tough one. The Cardinals ain't going to go down easy today."
More prophetic words were never spoken.
Down 7-5 in the ninth inning, the Reds got a leadoff home run from Jerry Hairston Jr. on a 3-2 pitch. Then pitcher/pinch-hitter Micah Owings, with two outs and the Reds down by a run, ran the count to 3-2, fouled off three, then crushed one into the seats to dramatically tie it.
Alas, closer Francisco Cordero, unreliable in tie games, gave up a walk and a game-winning double to Colby Ramus.
And still the Reds stuck out their tongues at the Cardinals, filling the bases with one out in the bottom of the 10th before pinch-hitter Paul Janish popped out to end it.
"They didn't win, they escaped and they know they escaped," said Baker. "Damn, I wanted that one."
Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips said the team badly wanted the sweep, but said, "We showed the Cards we're hungry and that we're here. They know they got away with one today."
It wasn't a good day for Reds starter Edinson Volquez - seven runs in 6 2 / 3 innings.
And during the 4-hour, 23-minute game that started on Mother's Day and threatened to end on Father's Day, the Reds smashed five home runs against a team that had given up 11 all year when they hit town Friday. And there were 401 pitches thrown, most of them bad.
In addition to the 10th, the Reds trashed chances in the seventh and eighth innings. Pinchhitter Darnell McDonald struck out with two on in the seventh, and Willy Taveras struck out on three pitches with two on in the eighth.
The five homers were a tworun shot by Jay Bruce (his 10th ) in the third and solo rips by Adam Rosales (his first in the majors) in the fourth, Joey Votto in the seventh then Hairston and Owings in the 10th.
"Owings' home run was like something in your backyard and your imagination - two outs, bottom of the ninth, 3-2," said Bruce.
Now the Reds are Westward Ho for a six-game series in Phoenix and San Diego - and going west has not been good for the Reds in the past.
Said Baker, "I never worried about going west because that's where I live, and I look forward to going there. There are a lot of distractions out west, especially in San Diego. We have to urge the team we're on a business trip and not a pleasure trip, and to take care of business."
