Clandestine Clutch Cincinnati Crush

Cincinnati Reds reliever, Nick Masset, was brought in to face pinch-hitting outrageous outfielder, Manny Ramirez in the bottom of the L.A. sixth inning last night. Reds’ renowned starter, Bronson Arroyo, uncoiled and unraveled after 100 pitches and retired with the game tied at 2-2. Masset delivered his first pitch of the night and Manny affirmed his elite status as a clutch hitter by drilling a line-drive grand slam. It was Manny Ramirez bobblehead night Wednesday at Dodgers’ Stadium and the featured player produced.
The dramatic stammering smash was the 21st grand slam of Ramirez’s career. He is two behind baseball’s all-time leader in slams, Lou Gehrig.
Arroyo pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed just five hits. He was charged with five runs, including the three base runners who Manny drove in with his pinch-hit bomb. James Loney and Matt Kemp drew walks for Los Angeles with one out in the game-changing sixth. Catcher, Russell Martin then slapped a single off Arroyo to load the bases for the home team. Manager, Joe Torre, chose to pinch hit for his starting mounds man, Chad Billingsley. Whom other than crowd favorite Dodger darling Manny Ramirez could give his team the lead? Manny has made many mystifying and majestic movement look easy. Wednesday night he starred again when he stepped to the plate without even taking batting practice before the contest. Manny nailed the first pitch he saw into the Mannywood section of the stadium and the crowd erupted. Ramirez was sidelined yesterday after being hit by a Homer Bailey pitch on his left hand Tuesday. It did not seem to affect his made-for-big-moment swing. Manny is a readymade player any day of the week, no matter how long he takes down time. He rises to the occasion in the biggest of baseball moments. Manny was beckoned with the bases juiced because he has the ability to be a game changer. He did what few others in his position could do with a tie score in a crucial situation. The stage was set for a momentum-changing Manny moment and sure enough, the outfielder walloped the 96 mph heater for an L.A. sweep of Cincinnati. It was the Dodgers’ fourth straight win.
Manny is slugging an even .300 with 8 RBIs and two homeruns in seven games. You cannot argue number 99’s production for a Dodgers team that refuses to lose in 2009. Even without his bat, L.A. admittedly did just fine. With Ramirez in Torre’s pesky lineup, the blue and white California club is that much better and harder to defeat. The Chavez Ravine faithful appreciate their hero for the hard slog he does. Baseball fans may dislike the fact Manny was pegged with a suspension for using performance enhancing drugs, but last night the man showed why his bat is still the deadliest clutch in the game. Ramirez is perhaps the best run producer the game has ever witnessed.
Billingsley lasted six frames for the Dodgers and was responsible for a pair of runs and seven hits. Los Angeles improved their season best mark to 27 games over .500. The storied franchise now holds a comfortable nine game lead in the NL West over Colorado. Dusty Baker’s Reds took the lead in the first inning by playing small ball. Leadoff hitter, Chris Dickerson, knocked a ground-rule double and Willy Taveras accomplished his goal of advancing the runner when he bunted Dickerson to third. Joey Votto, the Reds 2009 sensation, added to the early hit parade with a double down the right-field line. Andre Ethier stamped a shot to center off Arroyo for the first of L.A.’s runs, and his 20th long ball of the year. Loney blooped a ball past a sliding Laynce Nix in left field for a triple to sport the Dodgers a one run lead and another tally in the fourth. The Reds tied the score again in the top of the sixth. Votto’s third hit of the night was followed by two Billingsley strikeouts, but the Reds took advantage of a wild pitch with Edwin Encarnacion at the plate. Encarnacion proceeded to strike out to end any further Cincinnati threats. Then the thrill began, with Ramirez’s productive pounding and a plethora of applause. The Dodgers would not be run-impoverished this night. Manny’s submerged the ball into the stands for a statement slam.

Parting points: Song of the day- “End of the Road”- Boyz II Men