Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings July 9, 2018
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Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings July 9, 2018 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1940-Bill McKechnie manages the National League to a win, 4-0, in the All-Star Game. Paul Derringer starts the game, and pitches 2.0 shutout innings with three strikeouts and Bucky Walters follows with two more scoreless frames MLB.COM Gennett, Suarez, Votto named NL All-Stars By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon Jul. 8th, 2018 CHICAGO -- Normally, a team in fifth place might have trouble getting multiple All-Stars. But the Reds have also been one of baseball's hottest clubs since early May and have rebounded after a rough April. A big reason for the success is the contributions from the infield. Three Reds infielders -- first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Scooter Gennett and third baseman Eugenio Suarez -- were named as reserves on the National League squad for the 2018 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman and president of baseball operations Dick Williams informed each All-Star privately in the skipper's office. "I was really happy and appreciative that our three guys were on there, they should be on there, they're on there, it's a great honor," Riggleman said. "It's a special group there." Votto and Suarez were voted on to the team by the players ballot. Gennett was a selection from Major League Baseball. It is the sixth time Votto has been an NL All-Star while Gennett and Suarez will be first-timers. "Jim just said, 'Why am I not winning more games with an infield like this?' The infield really came on strong," Williams said. "Considering what happened in April -- a relatively slow start for Votto and Geno being hurt -- for them to come back and make this kind of statement in a shorter period of time really says a lot. Of course, Scooter started his campaign last year when he went from a role player to an everyday player to an impact player. These are three guys we really like having in our infield." Votto, 34, is batting .292/.425/.437 with eight home runs and 44 RBIs. Winner of the 2010 NL Most Valuable Player Award, he entered Sunday leading the NL in on-base percentage. "The players voting me in was really exciting," said Votto, an All-Star for a second straight time. "I was really hopeful to make the team, and to make it is always a great honor. I'm very happy about that." The 28-year-old Gennett leads the NL with a .326 average and he also has a .368 on-base percentage, .515 slugging percentage, 14 home runs and 58 RBIs. "Just being recognized for the effort, but also the performance and numbers and stuff is great," Gennett said. "It's definitely going to be a lot of fun going there and experiencing it. Obviously, it's my first one so definitely looking forward to it." Suarez, 26, is batting .315/.405/.590 with a team-leading 19 homers and an NL-leading 68 RBIs. Currently on an 11-game hitting streak, he also entered Sunday leading the NL in offensive WAR (3.4) and on-base-plus slugging percentage. To put his numbers into further context, Suarez also missed 16 games in April with a fractured right thumb. "My heart is [beating] fast right now. It feels so happy," Suarez said. "It's an honor to be part of the All-Star Game. Right now, I feel so, so happy. I know my dream came true. I've always dreamed about the All-Star team, the All-Star Game, the All-Star players. Now, I can say I'm an All-Star player." Unlike Votto, who was homegrown in the organization and debuted in 2007 to become a cornerstone of the franchise, Gennett and Suarez were acquired from other clubs with little or nothing in return. They have become major contributors to Cincinnati's lineup and inside the clubhouse. The Reds claimed Gennett off waivers just before the end of Spring Training on March 28, 2017. Originally used as a utility player on the bench, his bat and ability to drive in runs helped force his way into the starting lineup in the second half. "Scooter, when we claimed him, our scouts had a vision of what he could become," Williams said. "But really, he exceeded those expectations." Also on June 6 of last season against the Cardinals, Gennett became the first player in Reds history to hit four home runs in one game. Overall, he batted .295/.342/.531 with 27 homers and 97 RBIs. "I think a lot of players, until they get that opportunity or until they earn that opportunity, it can be tough," Gennett said. "I fought my way into the lineup last year. Once I've been in there every day, the rest is kind of history in a sense. I think the true player in me came out and that's been a lot of fun." On Dec. 11, 2014, the Reds traded pitcher Alfredo Simon to the Tigers to get Suarez with plans to groom him as a future shortstop. But after the departure of Todd Frazier following the '15 season, the Reds shifted Suarez to third base. Although he initially struggled defensively, he made vast improvements at the position and also hit 26 homers with 82 RBIs in 156 games. In March, the Reds wanted Suarez to be a cornerstone player for their future and backed it up by signing him to a seven-year contract worth $66 million. "Eugenio has played great and Scooter also," Votto said. "We play every day together. We've played really well of late and there's a pretty good reason why, and those two are at the center of it." Fans can cast votes for the final player on each league's roster -- on computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online as part of the 2018 Camping World MLB Final Vote, as well as via the MLB At Bat and MLB Ballpark mobile apps, until Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. Then on Tuesday, July 17, while watching the 2018 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard live on FOX, fans can submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet with the 2018 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote. The 89th Midsummer Classic, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 180 countries. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage in the United States, while ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, visit AllStarGame.com and follow @MLB and @AllStarGame on social media. Reds can't escape bases-loaded jam in 10th Stephens issues walk-off BB after Duvall's tying HR in 9th By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon Jul. 8th, 2018 CHICAGO -- The Reds escaped a bases loaded, one-out jam against the Cubs during a thrilling bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday. If they know one thing from being the Major League leaders in at-bats with the bases loaded, runs will eventually score if you tempt that fate too often. Sure enough, Cincinnati couldn't repeat the same good fortune when the bases were loaded again with one out in the bottom of the 10th. Reliever Jackson Stephens issued a walk to David Bote to force home the go-ahead run for a 6-5 walk-off loss in the rubber game at Wrigley Field. "I just didn't execute pitches," Stephens said. "I just needed to throw strikes, make a pitch and try to get a grounder." Down, 5-4, in the top of the ninth, Adam Duvall gave the Reds life with his tying homer to left field against closer Brandon Morrow. In the bottom of the ninth, reliever Jared Hughes worked into a bases loaded situation following two one-out singles and a fielder's choice play. But with a five-man infield, Hughes kept the Cubs from scoring with a ground ball for a force play at the plate and a flyout to center field. Stephens began the 10th with a walk on five pitches to Willson Contreras, and after a wild pitch to Vic Caratini, he intentionally walked Ian Happ. Addison Russell followed with a soft grounder near the line to first base. With an eye on Contreras, Joey Votto bobbled the ball as he ran to the bag. Although Russell was initially called out, a crew-chief review overturned the call to load the bases with one out. "They're so aggressive. I just didn't want him to bee-line it home," Votto said. "I don't care about that out. I've go to make that play potentially. It was just one of those occasions where I bobbled it. I don't know what else to say. It was just a physical mistake." For the second straight inning, the Reds used five infielders to defend as Bote batted. But they didn't get a chance to make a play as Stephens went to a full count before his final pitch was high and inside for ball four. The Reds dropped the last two games of the series with one-run losses after a one-run victory on Friday.