Not a pretty game for the Reds. Their #1 prospect, lefty outfielder Jay Bruce, gave them a 2-0 lead with double...but pulled his quad rounding first. It's a very mild strain; he's day to day. Kind of a disappointment, though, because he was playing CF and leading off today: what many fans hope he'll do on opening day.
Buck Coats, the lefty-hitting outfielder the Reds picked up in August to replace Bubba, was traded to the Jays in the off-season and apparently had something to prove today. He homered off Mike Stanton, then singled and stole a base off Cordero. He was 2 for 2, with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. A one-man wrecking crew.
Andy Phillips didn't have a very good day. Though Gameday and the Canadian announcers said he was in the starting lineup, he wasn't. It was Brandon Phillips who was in the starting lineup. Gameday had it wrong, and apparently the Jays announcers were taking their info from there.
Gameday didn't fix it until the real Andy Phillips was subbed into the game as a pinch-hitter. He came with the bases loaded and two outs...and struck out on three pitches. Swinging strike, swinging strike, down looking. His second at-bat was remarkably similar. Men on first and second, two outs. Once again, two swing and misses, and then down looking. Which means he was 0 for 2, with two strikeouts and 5 left on base. Ugh.
Interestingly, he played left field today. I looked it up, and the Yankees only used him in one game in left field, back in 2005.
Janish was subbed in at 2B. He also went 0 for 2. It was that kind of day. Final score: Toronto 8, Cincinnati 4.
Seattle had a better day. They prevailed over San Diego, 6-2. Cairo started at 3B and led off, but went 0 for 3. Sardinha started in the two-hole, and was 1 for 2.
