Reflections: Braves survive Reds 8-7 in 10 innings

Game was on TBS last night, as are Saturday and Sunday's games. So I can actually present an informed opinion of some games! :) And like JD, I'm pretty pleased with the Reds' performance last night, all things considered. My thoughts:

• Joe Mays was throwing batting practice for the first four hitters. He was missing all of his spots, typically grooving pitches for the Braves' hitters. He did settle in fairly well, but those three walks are not a good sign. It did enjoy how home plate umpire Marvin Hudson verging on popping a blood vessel when he was waiting for Mays to get back from the clubhouse in the top of the fifth.
• Standridge looked awful. I know he got a K, but he was able to spot a pitch about once per at-bat. Other than that, he didn't seem to have a clue where the ball was going. The only reason he wasn't killed out there was that he never happened to miss into the strike zone, it was always way high, way low, way inside, etc..
• Belisle and Mercker looked pretty solid tonight. Isn't it strange how you can get excited about a reliever when he manages not to allow a run these days? Kinda sad... But they both looked competant out there.
• Encarnacion's error was a pretty tough-luck call. Yeah, he threw it wide, but Hatteberg absolutely kept his foot on the bag. Even the Braves' announcers agreed on that point. Sucky call by first base umpire Ed Montague.
  
• Great to see the Latin Love Machine back in the swing of things. 'Course, last time I said that was the last time he hit a pinch-hit homer back on May 28th. Hopefully he can build on this one better than he built on the last one...
• David Ross continues to be a stud in the clutch. What a season he's having...
• Tough to see Coffey get the loss tonight, as he seemed to be pitching pretty well as his two strikeouts supports. I was a bit surprised to see them pitch to Andruw Jones and then walk Brain McCann, but I guess Narron was playing platoons. Even so, I'm all for pitching to swing-at-anything Jeff Francoeur. Just didn't work out.