CINCINNATI -- Bryan Price has been waiting all season for the relievers in his bullpen to pitch themselves into roles in front of closer Aroldis Chapman.
Quietly, J.J. Hoover is doing what the Reds manager has asked. Hoover's work in Tuesday's 4-3 come-from-behind win against Atlanta exemplified the majority of his first six weeks of the season.
Devin Mesoraco's game-winning double in the ninth inning was set up, in part, by Hoover delivering a scoreless seventh inning when the Reds trailed 3-2. It's one of those situations that a quick scan of the box score gives no credit for handling. Hoover walked Freddie Freeman and gave up a single to Kelly Johnson with one out but left them stranded by retiring Alberto Callaspo and A.J. Pierzynski.
There was nothing fancy about the outing, nothing particularly notable that stood out. Hoover just got his job done.
"You look at how many close games we play and it's settled into where it's Jumbo, it's Tony and it's Chappy, and you know what? Somebody has to take the pressure off those guys. Tonight it was Hoovs," said Price. "He was able to throw a beautiful seventh to lead to where I could choose either one or the other, Cingrani or Jumbo... Hoov has quietly been performing under the radar."
Hoover was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the seventh; Zack Cozart's sacrifice bunt attempt with Brayan Pena on first base was thrown into center field by Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz, an error that led to the Reds tying the game on a sacrifice fly by Marlon Byrd.
Diaz pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Chapman, coming off of two straight ninth inning losses the last two games, got back into his groove with a scoreless ninth inning.
Price needed Hoover to get to them. Hoover stepped up.
Hoover has allowed runs in just two of his 14 appearances this season. Since giving up four runs in just 1/3 of an inning at Milwaukee on April 21, Hoover hasn't allowed a run in nine straight appearances. That covers 8 1/3 innings in which he's given up three hits, walked four and struck out seven.
Hoover has had stretches of success before. He went 23 straight appearances without giving up a run in 2013. He finished off 2012 by giving up just one earned run over 12 2/3 innings in his final 11 appearances.
There were no such stretches of success last season for Hoover, when he was the losing pitcher in 10 straight decisions and gave up 13 home runs.
That was last season. He hasn't given up a single home run this season.
"I've just been trying to attack the hitters and get ahead," said Hoover. "I've been walking too many guys. It's a constant work in progress but I'm hitting a lot more spots than I did last year and that's leading to my success."
Hoover worked out in Cincinnati in the offseason with Mesoraco. Back then, Mesoraco was figuring he would be catching Hoover a lot. Because of a hip impingement that has limited Mesoraco to pinch-hitting duties, like Tuesday night, he's had to watch Hoover mostly from the dugout. The injury hasn't limited Mesoraco's opinion on Hoover's season.
"I expected J.J. to come back like this," said Mesoraco. "There was never a question for me if J.J. was going to be all right. He's as tough and as professional of a guy as you can find. I worked out with him all offseason and I knew how determined he was going into the year. It's very rewarding and important for the team also. We needed that guy and he's really done a great job for us."
The season is just six weeks old but Hoover is justifying the faith Price and the Reds showed in him when they placed him on the 25-man roster coming out of spring training. It was a surprise decision to many. It's played out well so far.
Either way, Hoover isn't looking back.
"It's such a long season," said Hoover. "We don't worry about yesterday. That's how I've always done it, good or bad. It was yesterday. It doesn't matter."
