The Cubs are scuh-ruuuuuuuuuud.

Derek Lee has broken his wrist. View from the Bleachers and GROTA both site the Chicago Tribune saying he'll be out 2-3 months. And since it's the Cubs, the time range will be more like 4 months-all of eternity.

The Reds were slightly less ineffective than the Marlins in their 8-9 win yesterday afternoon in Cincinnati.

Aaron Harang, he of the opening day start and 1-0 defeat of Chris Carpenter, faced off against Dontrelle Willis and got the shaky play going right from the start. Harang allowed five runs (earned) on nine hits through four innings. He handed over three home runs: one for Miguel Cabrera in the first, one for Miguel Olivo in the second, and a three-run job for the much-despised Dan Uggla in the fourth.

Michael Gosling, called up for just long enough to pitch an inning and a third of relief, gave up two more runs (earned) on a hit. That hit was yet another home run, this one to Reggie Abercrombie in the sixth. He went on to walk the pitcher, who would later score on Rick White's shift.

White allowed a run on four hits over the course of two outs (plus the one of Gosling's). The runs that scored while White was at the helm were the only ones that didn't come on home runs, so that says something. Primarily, that there is more than one way to suck on the mound.

David Weathers held them scoreless on a hit for two. Finally, the one-eyed man in the bullpen of the blind, Todd Coffey, didn't allow a hit in his inning to get the win.

Woo, that's a lot of pitchers! And still, not really enough.

The Reds' offense didn't feel the need to make an appearance until they were already down 5-0 in the fourth. This was about the time I had to go to a meeting at work, and the GameDay is missing what happened in this inning, but from the game wrap I understand that with the bases loaded and two outs, Ryan Freel knocked in a run with a single, and Dontrelle Willis wild-pitched in a run. Then Brandon Phillips hit a 2-RBI single to make it a game at 5-4.

The bats got quiet again, though, until the seventh when, down 8-4, Adam Dunn sacrificed in Freel. In the bottom of the eighth with the bases, again, loaded an infield single by Felipe Lopez together with a throwing error by Uggla brought in two more for the Reds. Phillips later knocked in Lopez to tie the score at eights.

Tied in the bottom of the ninth, Adam Dunn was coming up to bat. Todd Wellemeyer demonstrated some intelligence and walked him. I'd like to have Mr. Wellemeyer chat with Weathers about facing sluggers in walk-off situations. Two batters later, Scott Hatteberg singled, and Edwin Encarnación doubled in Dunn to win the game.

That winning debacle brings the Reds' record to 9-6. Tonight the Reds visit Milwaukee at 8:05 p.m. David Williams takes the mound against Tomo Ohka for the Brewers.

Last weekend the crack technical staff and I met up with my chick-blogging Cardinals fan counterpart, bellyscratcher, for a couple games and some partying in St. Louis.

We usually sass each other on-line during Reds-Cardinals games, but since there wasn't a convenient Internet connection for miles, we just recorded ourselves instead.

Today's podcast features highlights from our conversation during the pre-game and the first inning from Saturday. I've got my crack audio editing staff working on the rest of the weekend's audio for future installments, but I got sick of waiting and insisted that we just post whatever was ready right now.

Episode 7: Game 11, Part 1. (6.75 MB, 9:22)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Lancaster says he was in the locker room after the game, and Gosling was already optioned back to Louisville. Should be officially called up before tomorrow's game.

Now all I need is some Wags back with the team.

LHP Michael Gosling has been called up from Louisville, and Mike Burns optioned to Louisville to make room for Gosling on the roster.

I won't swipe RHM's thunder by doing a whole game wrap here, but Gosling celebrated his return to the majors by giving up a mammoth dinger to Abercrombie in today's game (493 feet, the third longest homer in GABP history). The Reds still won it to take two of three from the Marlins, just like I said on Sunday that they should have had no trouble doing.

Now it's on to Milwaukee to show the Brewers who's boss. GO REDS!

John (HMZ)