Pirates win!

One foot out of the grave.

... so here's the story of the use of Gonzo in the eighth and Hernandez in the ninth. On the Gonzo announcement, the Reds pinch-hit Freel for Tony Womack. Greg Brown and Bob Walk were under the impression that Tracy was calling on Gonzo for a two-inning save. With a 5-2 lead, Gonzo walked the first batter he faced. Lopez, a switch-hitter, looked weak from that side of the plate and struck out. Gonzalez was throwing about 94. Griffey, a lefty, had a good at-bat ending in a run-scoring double. Gonzo fell behind Dunn, and Jim Colborn went to the mound for a visit. Matt Capps got up in the pen. Gonzo missed, up and in, on a fastball. Dunn took called strikes on 3-0 and 3-1, then whiffed on a breaking ball. Gonzo fell behind 3-0 on Encarnacion, who took a high strike, looking all the way. The crowd booed; Gonzo may have got a call. Encarnacion takes the next pitch, which is a strike. Next he swings and misses and strikes out.

Hernandez got up during the bottom of the eighth with Hatteberg, a lefty, due to bat first.

I'm not sure what Tracy said after the game, but Gonzo did not look sharp. And I wouldn't have wanted him coming back for the ninth to save our first win of the season.

I'd like to see him pitch more often on this coming homestand. He looked rusty tonight. Tracy more or less promised to make an elite closer out of Gonzo when he took the job, so I've no doubt he'll get all the chances sooner or later. Until he's sharp and throwing strikes, if I'm the manager, I wouldn't use him in tie or close games if I had a steadier option.