The Reds beat the Cardinals tonight 6-2 to win the series and clinch a winning record at home. Around this time of year, we'll take about anything to get excited about, but it's a joy to beat the Cardinals any time, any place.

Brandon “Pickle Man” Claussen held the Cards to just two runs through seven innings, but it didn't look like that was going to be enough. The Reds provided him only one run's worth of support in that amount of time when the combination of Ryan Freel on second, Felipe Lopez making contact, and Albert Pujols suddenly forgetting how to throw resulted in a Red run crossing the plate in the fourth.

The tide turned for the good guys in the eighth, however, when Lopez and Austin Kearns each took a turn knocking in a run, Cardinals' pitcher Julian Tavarez loaded the bases, and Little Edwin Encarnacion contributed a bases-clearing double to score the third, fourth, and fifth runs of the inning.

David Weathers pitched the top of the ninth and took the Cards down 1-2-3 to put the game away.

Here's looking forward to more sound defeats of the Cardinals when they meet up again in St. Louis for the final series of the season starting Friday, September 30. I'm already getting excited about it.

Go Reds!

I wanted to come up with a real witty smack-talkin' fake new piece, probably involving witchcraft and robots, for tonight's game. Unfortunately, I seem to be suffering from a severe case of lack of inspiration.

Don't get too close, I wouldn't want it to spread to all of Redsdom. Oh, I see it's too late for that.

Instead, I'll just re-post this picture from smack-talk many moons ago. At least it'll give me something to look at as I trade snaps with Bellyscratcher while listening to the game on the radio.

CINCINNATI, OH -- Even at the tender age of 25, you would think that Albert Pujols would know that clinching the division means you can relax. Instead, Pujols has gotten progressively more tense since the Cardinals guaranteed themselves a postseason berth last week.

Pujols, an MVP hopeful and usually a solid producer, was held hitless in last night's game.

Reds first baseman Sean Casey is recovering from a concussion and so has had plenty of time to analyze his St. Louis counterpart's play. “I could see it in his games before, but his tension was painfully obvious last night,” said Casey. “La Russa would have seen it too, if he wasn't always wearing those stupid sunglasses.”

Casey, ever magnanimous, took it upon himself to try to help Pujols this afternoon, and while they were talking, Casey realized that Pujols didn't know the difference between the words “clinched” and “clenched.” Pujols was very tense -- literally.

“I told him that he didn't have to be such a tight-ass, and I think he's doing better now,” said Casey, “but he still runs a little funny.”

The Reds continue to make the Cardinals look like they didn't deserve to clinch anything tonight at 7:10 at Great American Ball Park.

ST. LOUIS, MO -- St. Louis Cardinals' shortstop David Eckstein cut the ribbon today on the public display case he built to house his awards.

“I just wanted to share the joy of my accomplishments with the community,” said Eckstein, whose display case is already well stocked.

“I got these last summer,” Eckstein explained, pointing to a row of little-league trophies. “I kept telling the coaches that I was too big for little league, but they just laughed.”

Lining the wall are several framed shirts sporting such phrases as “I'm a Good Sport!” and “#1 Grandkid” and a display case in the corner holds a selection of ribbons.

“This one says 'Participant'” said Eckstein, holding up one of the ribbons. “And I really was.”

Next month, Eckstein is hoping to bring home something that's really worthy of his display case.

“I'm going to win the big Halloween costume contest,” said Eckstein.

And just when you thought Javy couldn't be a bit more awesome, you find out that he was born on Talk Like a Pirate Day. Shiver me timbers!