Jim’s Journal, July 30th, 2024

 

A huge win for the Reds last night, smacking the Cubs around, 7-1.  Will Benson put Cincy on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a 2-run homer.  TJ Friedl hit a 3-run shot in the 5th, and Jeimer Candelario smashed a solo home run in the 8th inning.  Carson Spiers came off the injured list Monday to make the pitching start, throwing 5 innings of 1-hit, shutout baseball, earning his 4th win of the season.  The Cubs’ only score came on a Michael Bush homer in the 9th inning.  The series continues tonight, the Reds’ broadcast arriving on your radio at 6:40 on the Sports Voice, 103.9 WRBI.

 

Cincy was actively dealing Monday, prior to today’s baseball trade deadline. It looked like the Reds would start Frankie Montas on the mound in game 2 against the Cubs tonight, but now, not so much, because… Frankie’s a Milwaukee Brewer.  He was dealt during Monday night’s game, Montas going to the Brew Crew for right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis and outfielder Joey Wiemer, plus some cash.  That was the Reds’ second trade Monday, after they acquired first baseman Ty France from Seattle.  Could be more moves today–  the actual deadline’s 6:00 this evening.

 

That former Batesville Bulldog so many folks are pulling for had a big moment over the weekend.  Miami Marlins pitcher Bryan Hoeing was the man for his squad, pitching 3 scoreless innings at the Brewers in relief, racking up his first official win of this major league baseball season, making him 1 & 2, with an ERA of only 2.70.  Congrats to Bryan for that 7-3 victory over Milwaukee.

 

On those Indiana athletes at the Paris Olympics…  one of the best-known the last few years has been swimmer Lily King. The 27-year-old IU grad from Evansville didn’t do nearly as well as she wanted to in the 100-meter breaststroke final, however.  Lily finished 4th, only 1 one-hundredth of a second behind the bronze medalist from Ireland.  You may recall she won gold in 2016, and bronze the last time around, in 2021.  But Lily’s not done yet—  she competes again in the 200 breaststroke, Wednesday.

 

We told you Monday about Notre Dame grad, 2-time women’s foil fencing gold medalist Lee Kiefer.  Well, on the men’s side, there’s another former Notre Dame student making things happen with his foil in hand.  That’s Nick Itkin.  So far in individual fencing, he’s beaten competitors from Cyprus, Egypt, and Italy.  He lost to another Italian, but then defeated a Japanese fencer to win himself a bronze medal.  Nick also won bronze 4 years ago.  He’ll be part of the US men’s foil team, that’s due to take on Egypt early Sunday.