Game 84 - Thursday Night, July 8th in Philadelphia
Catcher Brian Schneider played a part in allowing the Reds to score a crucial run in the top of the 8th, but he completely redeemed himself with a walk-off solo home run in the 12th to give the Phillies the victory. Kyle Kendrick pitched a great ballgame, settling in after allowing a 1st inning home run to Joey Votto and not allowing another run. He was pulled with 2 outs in the 7th having surrendered only 3 hits.
Shane Victorino countered Votto's home run with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the 1st. His 14th home run of 2010 matched his career high set back in 2008. Victorino factored into the team's second run in the 3rd. After Jimmy Rollins walked, Victorino reached on a sharply hit ball knocked down by Votto at first. Votto recovered and threw to pitcher Johnny Cueto covering, but Victorino knocked off Cueto's glove as he ran by and the ball trickled away. Votto recovered again and threw the ball to a gloveless Cueto, hitting the helpless pitcher below the belt as Rollins scampered home on the bizarre play.
Ryan Madson entered the 8th with a 1-run lead. With 2 runners on with 2 outs, he appeared to have struck out Brandon Phillips to end the inning. But Schneider couldn't block the pitch. Madson failed to cover home as Schneider tracked down the errant ball and the Reds had their 2nd run. The Phils managed to take the lead once again when Wilson Valdez tripled to start the 8th and he came home on a Rollins' sacrifice fly.
The Reds' 3rd run came as Brad Lidge was trying to close things out in the 9th. The first two Reds reached, and former Phillie Miguel Cairo doubled with 2 outs to score the tying run. It was Lidge's 3rd blown save in his last 4 opportunities. Jose Contreras and Nelson Figueroa pitched 3 scoreless innings of relief to set up Schneider's dramatic winning home run in the 12th. There were more bizarre plays and sloppy baserunning by the Phils, but the important thing is the win pulled the team to within 5½ games of the idle first place Braves.
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