The Juice is back for its fifth season of fun! Stop by each weekday for an ample serving of news from the action, plus great photos, stats and video highlights.
Flipping out: Little Leaguers, please: Do not try this at home. It will go in the books as a 4-6 force out, but that's only because they don't put pictures on scorecards. With the go-ahead run on second base in the seventh inning, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips needed to keep Michael Bourn's sharp grounder in the infield and get an out somewhere — if possible. Phillips dived to his right, knocked the ball down and kept it close enough that he was able to flip it with his bare hand — while contorting his body — to teammate Zack Cozart just before pinch runner Tim Hudson could slide into the second base bag. Phillips never had a grip on the ball, but he was in control in his own way.
Two innings later... : In the bottom of the ninth, Todd Frazier made everyone flip out in a different way, ending what began as a pitcher's duel between Bronson Arroyo and Atlanta's Tommy Hanson with an oppo taco against Cristhian Martinez for a 2-1 victory and a 3-0 series lead sweep at Great American Ball Park. Frazier didn't get all of it, but you don't always have to in that stadium. From the Associated Press:
This one barely cleared the wall in right field, landing in the first row of seats an estimated 355 feet away.
''I knew when I hit it that I got a lot of it,'' Frazier said. ''I was hoping it was enough. It just got over. Fine with me.''
The teams combined for 11 home runs in the three-game set. Cincy's won five straight.
Cole Hamels, stopper: Round two of Cole Hamels vs. Bryce Harper yielded no intentionally hit batters. It was pretty one-sided, though, with Hamels pitching eight shutout innings in a 4-1 victory for the Phillies, who stopped a four-game losing streak. Washington had won six straight in Philly.
New chief in town?: The Cleveland Indians aren't going away, are they? Jason Kipnis scraped his arm and drew blood on home plate sliding in for the go-ahead run (with the help of a throwing error by Prince Fielder) in a 4-2 victory against the Detroit Tigers. It also guaranteed Cleveland a series victory against the defending AL Central champs, who won the final 10 meetings between the two a season ago.
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