CINCINNATI -- John Messina had a dream. And before a soldout Palace of the Fans,
where the hot dogs tasted like prime rib and the cotton candy smelled of fresh
spring air, his dream came true.
It was the first game in the history of the Curt Flood Association, the Houston
Astros vs. the Cincinnati Reds, and dignitaries lined the baselines as Messina
strolled out to the pitcher's mound to deliver the first pitch: it was a 62-mph
fastball right down the middle; Reds captain Brian Giles caught the ball and had
Messina autograph it; the crowd roared its approval. It was time to play some baseball.
Randy Johnson didn't so much stroll out to the mound for the top of the first inning
as scowl out to the mound. The crowd hollered loudly as the Big Unit tipped his cap
before the first pitch; he then glanced up into the stands. Who was he acknowledging?
Perhaps Johnson was simply tipping his caps to the baseball gods for a nice sunny day.
Tomas Perez stepped in, the first batter in CFA history. He took a fastball down the
middle and then flied out to right. Andruw Jones grounded out and Matt LeCroy fanned
to end the first. A simple 1-2-3 inning. Hardly a sign of what turned into a crazy,
high-powered slugfest. Postgame fireworks weren't even needed; they were plenty in the
game.
Cincy's Brian Roberts led off the bottom of the first against Mark Buehrle and drilled
a single into center field for the first hit in CFA history. Brian Giles singled and
after David Wright grounded out, Nick Johnson was intentionally walked to bring up Mark
DeRosa. The Reds' shortstop then put his name into the CFA record -- he crushed a Buehrle
fastball deep over the left-field fence for a grand slam homer; OK, maybe it wasn't crushed
... rumors are the 338 sign at the Palace of the Fans may actually be off by 25 feet or so.
The Astros immediately got three back in the second when Alex Rios bombed a three-run homer
to deep left. The Reds struck right back with doubles from Roberts and Giles, followed by
a two-run homer to -- you guessed it -- deep left.
This game was only beginning. In the bottom of the fourth, DeRosa struck again -- a
three-run homer that knocked out Buehrle. (He would rather us not list his linescore.)
DeRosa would come up again with the bases loaded in the fifth, but popped out.
At this point, the details began to get blurry; perhaps too many hot dogs were consumed.
Home runs were hit; walks were issued; the Reds entered the top of the ninth with an 18-6
lead -- and managed to hold on to for an 18-12 win after giving up six runs.
DeRosa would finish with 7 RBIs; Roberts would go 4-for-6 with four runs, two doubles and
a homer. Johnson, who never did seem focused, survived six innings for the first win in CFA
history. Buehrle gave up 11 runs and immediately asked commissioner Messina for an
investigation into the baseballs and the little red pills he saw DeRosa take before the
game.
"There will be no investigation," the commish said after the game. "Fans love offense! Let
them have their offense."
**********
Thanks to Astros co-owners Ethan Goetz and Chris Roy for a fun game (I think I had a little
more fun than they did). I tried to convince them this game was a tad bit unusual.
-- Dave Schoenfield
4/1/2006, Hou06-Cin06, Palace of the Fans
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Astros 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 6 12 9 0 1 2
2006 Reds 4 3 0 4 1 2 3 1 x 18 20 0 9 0
Astros AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Perez ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 2 4 0 0
Greene ph 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0
Jones,A cf 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 3 0 0 0
LeCroy 1b 5 2 3 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .600 10 0 0 0
Mench lf 4 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 1 0 0 0
Cruz 3b 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 2 0 0
Shelton ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Barajas c 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 5 0 0 0
Gotay 2b 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 3 6 0 0
Hudson ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0
Rios rf 3 2 1 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Buehrle p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Backe p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Novoa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
McPherson ph 1 1 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 0 0 0 0
36 12 9 12 3 0 3 4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 14 0 0
Reds AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Roberts 2b 6 4 4 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .667 1 3 0 0
Giles rf 4 3 2 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 2 0 0 0
Wright 3b 3 4 2 2 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .667 2 2 0 0
Johnson 1b 3 2 2 3 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 .667 8 0 0 0
DeRosa ss 3 2 2 7 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .667 0 1 0 0
Ozuna ph 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 1 0 0 0
Mirabelli c 6 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 7 0 0 0
Lofton cf 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .750 3 0 0 0
Werth ph 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1 0 0 0
Dubois lf 5 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 2 0 0 0
Johnson,Ra p 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Offerman ph 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Schmoll p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Meche p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
42 18 20 18 7 1 4 9 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 6 0 0
Astros INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Buehrle L 0-1 3.0 10 11 11 4 1 83 51 23 3 1 0 0 0 33.00
Backe 3.2 5 5 5 5 2 69 36 19 1 0 0 1 2 12.27
Novoa 1.1 5 2 2 0 2 34 22 9 0 0 0 0 0 13.50
8.0 20 18 18 9 5 186 109 51 4 1 0 1 2
Reds INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Johnson,Ra W 1-0 6.0 5 6 6 1 4 82 55 24 3 0 0 0 0 9.00
Schmoll H 1 2.1 1 4 4 3 3 50 26 11 0 0 0 0 0 15.43
Meche 0.2 3 2 2 0 0 19 13 5 0 0 0 0 0 27.00
9.0 9 12 12 4 7 151 94 40 3 0 0 0 0
Hou: Shelton batted for Cruz in the 9th
Hudson batted for Gotay in the 9th
McPherson batted for Novoa in the 9th
Greene batted for Perez in the 9th
Cin: Offerman batted for Johnson,Ra in the 6th
Ozuna batted for DeRosa in the 7th
Werth batted for Lofton in the 7th
Ozuna moved to ss in the 8th
Werth moved to cf in the 8th
GWRBI: DeRosa
Weather: 58, clear, wind left to right at 6 MPH.
....................................................................................................
4/1/2006, Hou06-Cin06, Palace of the Fans
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Astros 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 6 12 9 0 1 2
2006 Reds 4 3 0 4 1 2 3 1 x 18 20 0 9 0
Astros -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Perez ss 1>9 3>5/fl 8 8>53
Greene ph D.2-H
Jones,A cf 3/g 63 6>53 k 8
LeCroy 1b k HR S k S.2-H
Mench lf 2>4 9 HR.1-H 9>W 6/L
Cruz 3b D 4>k 7
Shelton ph k
Barajas c 3 5/fl k W.1-2
Gotay 2b W 8 7>Schmoll
8
Hudson ph S.2-3;1-2
Rios rf HR.2-H;1-H 5>43 43 note 1
Buehrle p k
Backe p 43 7
Novoa p Meche
McPherson ph note 2
1: W.3-H;2-3;1-2 2: D.3-H;2-H;1-H
Reds -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Roberts 2b 1>S D 8 5>D HR.1-H
Giles rf S.1-3 D.2-H 4>W W 63
Wright 3b 13.1-2 HR.2-H W.1-2 wp.2-3;1-2 7>W
W
Johnson 1b IW 43 D.2-H;1-3 note 1 W.1-2
DeRosa ss note 2 W HR.3-H;2-H 7
Ozuna ph 43/gdp.2-3
Mirabelli c 8 k Backe 463/gdp D.3-H
43
Lofton cf S 3>43 S 6>S Novoa
Werth ph S.2-H
Dubois lf 64/f S k k T.1-H
Johnson,Ra p 2>63 56/b/f.B-1 8
Offerman ph 54/f.B-1
Schmoll p 43
Meche p
1: W.3-H;2-3;1-2 2: HR.3-H;2-H;1-H
....................................................................................................
Astros -----F------ -----G------ -----H------ -----I------ -----J------
Perez ss
Greene ph
Jones,A cf
LeCroy 1b
Mench lf
Cruz 3b
Shelton ph
Barajas c
Gotay 2b
Hudson ph
Rios rf
Buehrle p
Backe p
Novoa p
McPherson ph
Reds -----F------ -----G------ -----H------ -----I------ -----J------
Roberts 2b 8>13
Giles rf k
Wright 3b D
Johnson 1b D.2-H
DeRosa ss
Ozuna ph S.2-3
Mirabelli c k
Lofton cf
Werth ph
Dubois lf
Johnson,Ra p
Offerman ph
Schmoll p
Meche p
Astros IN OUT ER Reds IN OUT ER
Buehrle A1 C5 11 L 0-1 Johnson,Ra A1 C6 6 W 1-0
Backe C6 E6 5 Schmoll C7 D8 4 H 1
Novoa E7 F6 2 Meche D9 E4 2
....................................................................................................
4/1/2006, Hou06-Cin06, Palace of the Fans
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Astros 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 6 12 9 0 1 2
2006 Reds 4 3 0 4 1 2 3 1 x 18 20 0 9 0
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top 1st, Astros up
0-0 0 --- 00 Perez flyout to right (X)
0-0 1 --- 22 Jones,A groundout to 1b (CBSBFX)
0-0 2 --- 22 LeCroy strikeout (CBFBC)
************** Bottom 1st, Reds up
0-0 0 --- 11 Roberts lined a single to shallow center (CBX)
0-0 0 1-- 32 Giles lined a single to left center, Roberts to third (BFCBBFFFX)
0-0 0 1-3 10 Wright groundout to p, Giles to second (BX)
0-0 1 -23 30 Johnson walked intentionally (IIII)
0-0 1 123 11 DeRosa homered to left, Roberts scored, Giles scored, Johnson scored (SBX)
0-4 1 --- 02 Mirabelli flyout to cf (CCX)
0-4 2 --- 12 Lofton infield single to ss (CBFX)
0-4 2 1-- 01 Dubois grounded to ss, forcing Lofton at second (CX)
************** Top 2nd, Astros up
0-4 0 --- 10 Mench popout to 2b (BX)
0-4 1 --- 12 Cruz doubled deep to left center (CBCFX)
0-4 1 -2- 02 Barajas popout to 1b (CFX)
0-4 2 -2- 31 Gotay walked (BFBBB)
0-4 2 12- 11 Rios homered deep down the lf line, Cruz scored, Gotay scored (CBX)
3-4 2 --- 02 Buehrle strikeout (CSC)
************** Bottom 2nd, Reds up
3-4 0 --- 12 Johnson,Ra groundout to ss (BSSX)
3-4 1 --- 01 Roberts doubled deep to center (FX)
3-4 1 -2- 20 Giles doubled deep to right center, Roberts scored (BBX)
3-5 1 -2- 00 Wright homered to left, Giles scored (X)
3-7 1 --- 01 Johnson groundout to 2b (CX)
3-7 2 --- 30 DeRosa walked (BBBB)
3-7 2 1-- 12 Mirabelli strikeout (SBFS)
************** Top 3rd, Astros up
3-7 0 --- 22 Perez popout to 3b (FSFBBX)
3-7 1 --- 12 Jones,A groundout to ss (SCBX)
3-7 2 --- 22 LeCroy homered deep down the lf line (SBBFFX)
4-7 2 --- 10 Mench flyout to rf (BX)
************** Bottom 3rd, Reds up
4-7 0 --- 12 Lofton groundout to 2b (FCBFFX)
4-7 1 --- 02 Dubois grounded a single up the middle (CCX)
4-7 1 1-- 02 Johnson,Ra bunted into an out to 3b, forcing Dubois at second, Johnson,Ra to first (FbFbXb)
4-7 2 1-- 22 Roberts lineout to cf (BCBFX)
************** Top 4th, Astros up
4-7 0 --- 02 Cruz strikeout (CFS)
4-7 1 --- 02 Barajas popout to 3b (SCFX)
4-7 2 --- 31 Gotay flyout to cf (BCBBX)
************** Bottom 4th, Reds up
4-7 0 --- 30 Giles walked (BBBB)
4-7 0 1-- 30 Wright walked, Giles to second (BBBB)
4-7 0 12- 22 Johnson doubled deep to right center, Giles scored, Wright to third (BCCFBX)
4-8 0 -23 01 DeRosa homered to left, Wright scored, Johnson scored (CX)
Backe pitching
4-11 0 --- 12 Mirabelli groundout to 2b (BSFFX)
4-11 1 --- 21 Lofton lined a single to shallow center (SBBX)
4-11 1 1-- 12 Dubois strikeout (CBFS)
4-11 2 1-- 11 Johnson,Ra flyout to cf (SBX)
************** Top 5th, Astros up
4-11 0 --- 00 Rios groundout to 2b (X)
4-11 1 --- 10 Backe groundout to 2b (BX)
4-11 2 --- 00 Perez popout to cf (X)
************** Bottom 5th, Reds up
4-11 0 --- 00 Roberts doubled deep to right center (X)
4-11 0 -2- 32 Giles walked (BBBCCB)
4-11 0 12- 10 Backe wild pitch, Roberts to third, Giles to second (BB)
4-11 0 -23 30 Wright walked (BB.BB)
4-11 0 123 30 Johnson walked, Roberts scored, Giles to third, Wright to second (BBBB)
4-12 0 123 21 DeRosa flyout to left (BBCX)
4-12 1 123 00 Mirabelli grounded into a double play, Gotay to Perez to LeCroy (X)
************** Top 6th, Astros up
4-12 0 --- 00 Jones,A groundout to 3b (X)
4-12 1 --- 21 LeCroy lined a single to shallow left (FBBX)
4-12 1 1-- 21 Mench homered down the left-field line, LeCroy scored (BCBX)
6-12 1 --- 00 Cruz flyout to lf (X)
6-12 2 --- 22 Barajas strikeout (BCBSS)
************** Bottom 6th, Reds up
6-12 0 --- 00 Lofton lined a single to shallow left (X)
6-12 0 1-- 22 Dubois strikeout (CSBBFS)
Offerman pinch-hit for Johnson,Ra
6-12 1 1-- 02 Offerman grounded to 3b, forcing Lofton at second, Offerman to first (FFFFX)
6-12 2 1-- 00 Roberts homered to right, Offerman scored (X)
6-14 2 --- 01 Giles groundout to ss (CX)
************** Top 7th, Astros up
Schmoll pitching
6-14 0 --- 02 Gotay flyout to cf (FbFX)
6-14 1 --- 22 Rios groundout to 2b (CBBSX)
6-14 2 --- 21 Backe flyout to lf (CBBX)
************** Bottom 7th, Reds up
6-14 0 --- 32 Wright walked (CBBFFBB)
6-14 0 1-- 30 Johnson walked, Wright to second (BBBB)
Ozuna pinch-hit for DeRosa
6-14 0 12- 21 Ozuna grounded into a double play, Gotay to LeCroy, Wright to third (BBFX)
6-14 2 --3 20 Mirabelli lined a double to right center, Wright scored (BBX)
Novoa pitching
Werth pinch-hit for Lofton
6-15 2 -2- 22 Werth lined a single to right center, Mirabelli scored (BFBFFX)
6-16 2 1-- 20 Dubois tripled deep to right center, Werth scored (BBX)
6-17 2 --3 12 Schmoll groundout to 2b (CCBX)
************** Top 8th, Astros up
Ozuna moved to ss
Werth moved to cf
6-17 0 --- 21 Perez groundout to 3b (BCBX)
6-17 1 --- 12 Jones,A strikeout (CCBC)
6-17 2 --- 22 LeCroy strikeout (BBFCS)
************** Bottom 8th, Reds up
6-17 0 --- 11 Roberts groundout to p (BCX)
6-17 1 --- 32 Giles strikeout (BCBFFBS)
6-17 2 --- 01 Wright doubled deep to center (CX)
6-17 2 -2- 10 Johnson grounded a double down the 1b line, Wright scored (BX)
6-18 2 -2- 11 Ozuna infield single to ss, Johnson to third (BFX)
6-18 2 1-3 12 Mirabelli strikeout (FFBS)
************** Top 9th, Astros up
6-18 0 --- 32 Mench walked (BCBFBB)
Shelton pinch-hit for Cruz
6-18 0 1-- 32 Shelton strikeout (BCFFBFBS)
6-18 1 1-- 30 Barajas walked, Mench to second (BBBB)
Hudson pinch-hit for Gotay
6-18 1 12- 00 Hudson grounded a single between 1b and 2b, Mench to third, Barajas to second (X)
6-18 1 123 32 Rios walked, Mench scored, Barajas to third, Hudson to second (BBFBSB)
Meche pitching
McPherson pinch-hit for Novoa
7-18 1 123 32 McPherson grounded a double down the 1b line, Barajas scored, Hudson scored, Rios scored (BFFBBX)
Greene pinch-hit for Perez
10-18 1 -2- 22 Greene doubled deep to right, McPherson scored (BCFBFFX)
11-18 1 -2- 00 Jones,A flyout to cf (X)
11-18 2 -2- 10 LeCroy lined a single to right center, Greene scored (BX)
12-18 2 1-- 02 Mench lineout to ss (CFX)