Game 3 of the National League Division Series was held before a Great American Ball Park record crowd of 45,399 people. There was a mixture of believers and doubters, skeptics and wishers. But in the end the Cincinnati Reds were defeated and their season was ended in what seemed like a Cinderella story.
The victory completed a Phillies three-game sweep of the Reds. It was a rough ending to a shockingly good season for the Reds.
Despite the shutout series, the Reds made a positive step this season: they achieved their first winning season since 2000, and they made a playoff appearance, something Cincinnati fans haven’t seen for over a decade dating back since 1995.
But all great things must come to an end. The Reds could not surpass Philly’s pitching. First was Roy Halladay’s no-hitter on Wednesday. Then there was the great pitching by Matt Hamel, which wasn’t as spectacular as the shutout, but it got the job done. The Reds weren’t able to get an extra-base hit until Ramon Hernandez doubled with two outs in the seventh. After that, they were able to advance merely two runners to second base all night.
Everyone was surprised by the weak defense showcased during the playoffs, due to all the errors. All year the Reds defense had been strong, and then this came along. They committed two errors, giving them seven in the series. More than half the time it resulted in a run.
Some people will respond to the Reds playoff performance by stating, “That’s typical Reds baseball for you,” and others will showcase pride and faith in their division champs. But no matter how you look at the past, they have less than 176 days to pave their future.