The Reds took the first half of a two-game series tonight against the Cardinals by a score of 1-6.

Bronson Arroyo took the mound for the Reds and pitched a complete game four-hitter. He allowed one run (earned) on a home run by Juan Encarnación in the second inning.

The Reds first scored in the first when Rich Aurilia hit a home run. After the aforementioned home run in the top of the second, the score remained tied at ones until the bottom of the fifth.

In the fifth, Ryan Freel doubled with two outs and came in on a Felipe Lopez line-drive single to left field. Lopez would have three RBI on the night.

The big inning for the Reds was the bottom of the sixth. After Adam Dunn doubled, Austin Kearns singled him in with a line-drive to right field. Edwin Encarnación and Brandon Phillips each singled to drive in Kearns and drive Cardinals starting pitcher Mark Mulder from the game.

After David Ross struck out, Encarnación and Phillips advanced on a wild pitch while Arroyo was batting, and Arroyo eventually walked. Freel struck out swinging, but Lopez singled to bring in two more runners. Aurilia grounded out to end the threat and the scoring. Final score: 1-6.

In the top of the ninth, Arroyo induced a ground ball from Jim Edmonds and struck out John Gall to set up Juan Encarnación for a fly ball to left field. Never, ever has Adam Dunn looked so determined to get to a ball, sliding for it and even using two hands to ensure it stayed in his mitt.

The win brings the Reds' record to 18-8 and gives them sole possession of first place in the NLC. Tomorrow they go for the sweep of the short series, pitting Dave Williams against Syndney Ponson at 12:35 p.m.

ST. LOUIS, MO -- St. Louis Cardinals' ownership took their marketing up a notch today when they began disassembling the seats in the new Busch Stadium to sell on eBay.

The Cardinals sold all manner of items from the previous Busch Stadium to memento-hungry collectors. Everything from dugout benches to clubhouse urinals fetched top dollar. But that sale occurred just prior to the stadium's demolition; this sale is taking place when the seats are less than a month old.

“It just goes to show that we can get our fans to buy anything,” said Cardinals Senior Vice President of Business Development Bill DeWitt with a chuckle. “They even buy that this group of has-beens can contend in the long run.”

The seats are being disassembled during the Cardinals' road trip to Cincinnati, but they aren't likely to be missed even when the team returns home.

“When this team starts tanking, demand is sure to go down,” said DeWitt. “And I figure that's going to start tonight.”

Player Profile on Reds.com

LaRue’s Season Over on Marc Lancaster’s Blog

Player Profile on Reds.com

LaRue's Season Over on Marc Lancaster's Blog

Michael Jason LaRue was born in Houston, Texas on March 19, 1974. He graduated from Smithson Velly High School in Spring Branch, Texas. He attended Dallas Baptist Univeristy and Northeast Texas Community College.

Jason is married to Heather and they live in Bulverde, Texas. Jason missed the final two games of the 2005 season to attend to Heather in the birth of their son Brayden. I thought I read something official at the time making reference to other children, but I’ll be darned if I can find it now.