Reds Sweep Astros

Bronson Arroyo threw a 92 pitch complete game to help the Reds sweep the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Bronson gave up five hits and fanned three while allowing only one run. This was the seventh win on the season for Arroyo to go with his three defeats. His ERA has been falling but continues to be over 5.00 but a couple more outings of this type would but it back to a more respectable number.

Jay Bruce celebrating his first anniversary with the Reds went off at the plate. Jay smashed two home runs and a triple to boot. Bruce also had four RBI's and scored twice. This win put the Reds six games over .500 and a game and half out of first place in the NL Central.

The Reds hit the road again and open a three game set in Milwaukee on Friday night.

Homer Bailey Makes First Start Of Season

Homer Bailey making his first start of the 2009 season struggles in the first inning but gets out of the jam without being scored on. In the bottom of the inning Joey Votto, making his first start after being side lined with an inner ear infection for ten games, drives 3-2 pitch the other way to give the Reds a 1-0 lead.

In the second inning Homer again gets behind batters and it costs him as the Tribe plates four runs after eight hitters come to the plate. In the bottom of the inning Ramon Hernandez drives a ball 441' for a two run home run to get the Reds back to 4-3. Later in the same inning Joey Votto pulls one this time for his second home run in two plate appearances. This time it's a three run shot to give the Reds the lead back, 6-3 after two complete.

After Homer walks the bases full in the fifth Dusty Baker comes has seen enough and comes get him. At this point he has no chance to win as he only goes 4 and 1/3 innings, but he does leave with the Reds ahead 6-4. Jared Burton comes on in a very tough situation with the bases juiced. Burton gives up a two run hit to tie the game but holds the Tribe right there.

The Tribe scores the winning run off David Weathers in the eighth and he gets tagged with the loss. This game was played in a way that the Reds don't want to try to repeat. They have had pretty good starting pitching and lights out relief pitching. Neither were good tonight. This team has three players that can flat out smash the ball. Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips.....but this is not the way this team will win most of it's games this year. They have to be able to get the clutch hit with runners in scoring position with less than two out. Again tonight they stranded ten runners. The Reds can still win this series this afternoon and are sending Johnny Cueto to the mound looking to take two of three from the Tribe.

Reds 3 back of the Brew Crew

After the weekend debacle in San Diego, the Reds find themselves 3 games below the Brewers in the Central. The Cubs, even with all their injury woes, are now only 1.5 out. CRAP!

Bad Weekend in San Diego

Wow, what a bad weekend in San Diego as the Reds get swept by the last place Padres. Votto still isn't right as he left Saturday night's 16 inning marathon with dizziness again and did not play on Sunday. Something is very wrong with Votto. Should be interesting to see if the Reds bring up Baily or another pitcher to start Tuesday in place of Owings who had to pitch 5 2/3 of the marathon game.

First Place Reds Sweep Diamondbacks

I have been singing the praises of this young Reds team all season and see nothing to shut my genius down at this point. After a very nice home stand the Reds hit the road with the first stop to be in the desert of Arizona where 'MY REDS' swept the Arizona Diamondbacks three straight. After tonight's game there is a three way tie for first place in the National League Central, with the Cardinals and Brewers all having the same 20-14 record the Reds hold.

After a two for four night with four RBI's Brandon Phillips has went six for thirteen with eight RBI's, and a home run in this series. Brandon now has a team high 26 RBI's. Willy Taveras was three for six to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Taveras was nine for fifteen at the plate, scored six runs, and added two RBI's from the lead off spot in this series. Taveras also had his tenth stolen base tonight. Jerry Hairston had a two for five night to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Johnny Cueto went seven innings for his fourth win. Cueto has not lossed in his last six starts and is sporting a 1.93 ERA for the year.

This is a very young team that is a lot of fun to watch. After a day off in San Diego tomorrow the Reds will open a three game series against the Padres sending Aaron Harang, 3-3 with an ERA of 2.93.....Edinson Volquez, 4-2 with an ERA of 4.40 and Bronson Arroyo, 5-2 with an inflated 7.02 ERA to the mound this weekend.

Reds Take Two Of Three From St. Louis

Not a bad weekend for the Reds, anytime you can take 2 of 3 three from the division leader you are doing your job. I finally got to Cincinnati yesterday to see my first live game this season. It happened to be the one the Reds dropped to the Cardinals, but it was still a great afternoon of baseball. After taking the first two games of this series it was fun to see fans at the park with the brooms in hand, almost getting to help clean the stadium. Joey Votto benched all weekend with the flu bug came in to pitch hit and blasted his fourth home run of the season. Quickly becoming another fan favorite, Adam Rosales also hit his very first Major League home run. Jay Bruce slammed his team high tenth home run. They still weren't done as the biggest shots came in the bottom of the ninth as Jerry Hairston started the inning with a home run to get the Reds back to within a run. This set the table for the biggest hit of the game. Micha Owings blasted a pitch hit home run to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Owings, tipped his cap on the top step of the dugout to a standing ovation.

The Reds would give up a tenth inning run to St. Louis and build a rally in the bottom of the tenth but come up just short leaving the bases loaded as Paul Janish fouled out to end. The biggest out in that inning was Jerrry Hairston not being able to lay down a bunt with runners on first and second with no outs.

I do think the Reds have sent word that they will never give up and yes that they can play with anyone in the National League. They are not headed to Arizona for a three game series starting tonight. Bronson Arroyo again looking to bounce back from a very poor outing will take the hill for the Reds.

Owings continues to stuggle

Micah Owings continues to struggle on the mound giving up 5 earned tonight but the Reds pulled out the 6-5 wins over the Brew-Crew. Owings did do the one thing he's good at as he tripled in the game. I'm all for Owings in the bull-pen and pinch hitting every night........

Johnny Cueto....Lights Out in Pittsburgh

It was all about the young Johnny Cueto today at PNC park in Pittsburgh. Today's performance was a career best for Cueto as he went eight full while fanning nine. Even Pirate manager John Russell acknowledged that "Cueto just never gave us a chance" in his post game comments. Johnny only allowed four hits and one walk so he was totally dominate this afternoon. He actually retired 13-14 in one stretch. Johnny has a team best 1.65 ERA in his five starts and now owns a 2-1 record that with a little more timely hitting could be much better than that.

Jay Bruce slammed his team high sixth home run this afternoon and in the past week has been among the National League leaders in offense. Brandon Phillips was two for four and looking to get on track at the plate. His glove has again been golden this season. Catcher Ramon Hernadez seems to be coming around at the plate as well. Ramon was two for three with three RBI's to raise his average to a more respectable .261 for the season. I was really beginning to wonder about Ramon hitting enough to hold this job down, well he's hitting now like he don't want to give it up.

The Reds have now won every road series so far this season. That's right taking two of three in Pittsburgh puts the Reds at 9-4 on the road this year. Now if we can get this kind of performance at Great American Ballpark this could be a really exciting season for my Reds!!!!!!!!!!