(AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Here are the scoring plays, Byrnesie’s plate appearances and other moments of note in today’s game.

Chris Young started the game with a standup double. He was sacrificed to third by Orlando Hudson and then scored on a ground out to second by Eric Byrnes. Byrnesie, after fouling off the first pitch swinging for the fence, and letting the second pitch go by for a called strike, swung at what was clearly a ball high and away. But he was aiming for the right side of the diamond and succeeded in driving in the run, so I won’t quibble. 1-0 D’Backs.

Stephen Drew hit a solo homer in the second inning. 2-0 D’Backs.

Dan Haren grounded out to start the Diamondback third. Chris Young then walked and moved to second on a ground out by Hudson. Byrnesie then walked and stole second on the back end of a double steal led by Young. But neither of them scored as Conor Jackson fouled out to first for the third out.

Haren was in control in the first three innings, but then he struggled with command in the fourth. Corey Paterson hit a Haren hanging curve for a solo homer in the fourth. Then Jeff Keppinger walked and stole second and was driven home by Brandon Phillips who hit the second homer of the inning; Haren was supposed to throw low and away but it was chest-high and over the middle. 3-2 Reds.

With one out in the fifth, Dan Haren doubled. Later, with the bases loaded, Byrnesie grounded to third. Edwin Encarnacion threw home to get Haren but threw the ball away. A bit of good luck for the Diamondbacks, the kind that helped them to a 32-20 record in one run games last year. But another disappointing plate appearance with the bases loaded for Eric Byrnes. Chris Burke, batting for Conor Jackson, hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Chris Young. 4-3 D’Backs.

Todd Coffey came in to pitch the 6th for the Reds and gave up a single to Mark Reynolds and a double to Drew. Dan Haren punched a low fly ball to right and Ken Griffey, Jr. made a strong throw home but the catcher couldn’t hold on and Reynolds scored. 5-3 D’Backs.

In the 7th, with Hudson on first, Byrnesie popped to short right. He stands to far from the plate. The catchers all set up outside and he reaches for that outside pitch. I know I am going to say this ’til I’m blue in the face: Move closer to the plate, Byrnesie! Then O-Dog got caught too far off first by the Reds catcher, Paul Bako.

Chad Qualls came in to pitch the 7th for the Diamondbacks. A scoreless inning.

Kent Mercker pitched the 8th for the Reds. A scoreless inning with 2 Ks for a guy who hadn’t thrown a major league pitch in over a year.

Tony Pena came in to pitch the 8th. Jeff Keppinger singled off him. That made 3 singles and a walk for him today. But he didn’t score.

Jeremy Affeldt pitched the 9th for the Reds. He loaded the bases with an infield hit to Justin Upton, who moved to second on a sac bunt by pinch hitter Alex Romero. Chris Young and Orlando Hudson walked but Eric Byrnes hit the ball and the ball hit him back once he got out of the batter’s box and he was out. Burke struck out and the Reds got away from another dangerous situation.

Brandon Lyon came in to close out the 9th. Brandon Phillips singled to bring up Adam Dunn. He singled to left into a hole left by a shift of the infielders against the big left-hander hitting to the right side. Phillips moved to second. Edwin Encarnacion, after showing he can’t bunt–he has no sac bunts in the majors– lined a two-strike fast ball into the left field seats for his first ever walk-off homer. Final Score: 6-5 Reds.

A game like this shows the weakness of needing to get by on pitching and manufactured runs, Byrnesie. Yeah, you, who left tons of runners on. A single either time you came up with the bases loaded, probably would have won the game. A bases-clearing double, either time for sure would have. But it has literally been years since you have hit a bases-clearing double. <ggrrr!> (You did hit one double with the sacks full last year, but the slow runner on first only made it to third). This will not do at all, Byrnesie, especially for a three hitter, especially against a mediocre team like the Reds.
That was a quality start by Dan Haren. Just one bad inning where he gave up those three runs. Must have been having a bad moon transit or something that inning. Get ‘em next time.

At this point there is still no word why Conor Jackson had to leave the game early.

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