TWiB Notes -- June 19 thru 25

[Frayed Knot]

* the Cincinnati Reds have ridden the Elly de la Cruz effect to nine straight wins are currently a 1st-place team

Not a great overall record (38-35) but good enough for a 1/2 game up on the Brewers as action starts tonight





* in the ALC, the Twins hang onto 1st place though with a sub-.500 record (36-37)

MLB is tempting fate that a team with a losing record would win a division and further reducing intra-division games makes that ever more likely

The 'contenders' in that division consist of the Twins -1, Cleveland -5, Detroit -9, ChiSox -12





* as mentioned multiple times by Gary during last night 'cast, Miami 2B Luis Arraez is currently hitting an even .400

Not a ton of walks or power [102 hits, 84 singles -- .400/.450/.490] but impressive anyway in a league with fewer than ten .300 hitters





* Braves begin a series in Philly starting in just a few minutes [TUE, WED, THU afternoon] in advance of our trip there on Friday.

Spenser Strider vs Ranger Suarez. Strider suddenly sporting an ERA over 4.00 thanx to 13 RA in his last two starts/nine innings (NYM & DET)

[Frayed Knot]

4-2 now Braves in the 9th

Schwarber up w/2 outs as the tying run ... and he Ks

[Frayed Knot]

Braves & Phils taking a scoreless tie into the 9th (just 3 hits each)

They got rained out Wed night so today's guy dame morphs into a 1:00/7:00 split DH, something which might help us a shade as we'll be the next visitors to Philly.

[Frayed Knot]

Braves put up a 5-spot in the 10th, #s 2 and 3 when Kyle Schwarber dropped what would have been the 3rd out, then #s 4 and 5 on the subsequent 2R HR

Phils got one in the bottom half so 8 straight wins now for ATL



And it turns out they're NOT playing DH today. Guess they opted to make up last night's rainout later in the season.

[ashie62]

The Pirates have promoted 2021 overall #1 draft pick Henry Davis to the big team



He is a catcher but has been used as a DH for his first two games

[Frayed Knot]

Yanquis pitcher Domingo German just drilled Mariners OF Ty France square in the back with his first pitch ... and I don't think I have to remind you folks that there's a long and bloody history involving those two.

[Frayed Knot]

France HR'd in his 2nd AB which I think means he gets awarded both Alsace and Lorraine.





8 to Zip M's in the 3rd

[ashie62]

And the swiss Alps in the bronx

[Frayed Knot]

The Braves take their eight game winning streak into Cincinnati for the weekend where the Reds are looking to lengthen their Eleven game streak. Not even the Big Red Machine ever reeled off that many consecutive 'W's

[Frayed Knot]

Well that drama was short-lived as the Braves bat around in the top of the 1st (cuz, y'know, it's a day ending in a Y) and the Reds go out 1-2-3 on 10 pitches to a ATL rookie .

5-0 (4 after 2 were out) heading to the 2nd



So perhaps we can shift our gaze to Pittsburgh where the Marlins try to hand the Bucs their 11th straight loss.







PS: I can only imagine how fast Elly de la Cruz would be if he chose to play with fewer than 17 chains around his neck

[Frayed Knot]

Bottom 4 and the Reds have tied up the Braves.

HRs from Frahley (2R), de la Cruz (2), and Votto (solo)

[Edgy MD]

Votto's comeback may be for real.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Votto's comeback may be for real.

Especially after the 3R HR he just tacked on to his first one.

9-7 Reds with the home team coming to bat in the 6th

Can't claim to have seen this coming after that top of the 1st

[Edgy MD]

Can't claim to have seen it coming after Votto's wretched 2022. I didn't even expect him to return.

[Frayed Knot]

Saying the Elly de la Cruz is a mere triple away from the cycle may not be the frivolous statement that it usually is ... AND AS I TYPE THAT HE TRIPLES!!!!

[Edgy MD]

wOw!

[Frayed Knot]

Not sure that his subsequent attempted steal of home during a pitcher's throw to 1st was his best idea (out by a lot), but a nice game anyway.



11 - 7 Reds, start of 7th

[Frayed Knot]

Braves hit three 8th inning HRs in a four batter span and it's now 11-10 Reds bottom 8

[Frayed Knot]

A quickie autopsy on the Angels 25-1 beat down of the Rox (in Coors of course).



From the bottom of the 4th on it was a 2-1 game. Unfortunately for the Rox it was 23-0 by top 4



Anaheim scored 13 in the 3rd inning alone



Leadoff hitter Taylor Ward and #2 slot Shohei each came to bat five times by the 4th inning



Could have been worse if Ohtani hit, he had merely a single in 7 trips