Marc says that David Ross indeed made it back for today's game to play binky to Bronson Arroyo, so the Reds had to make room on the roster. They did so by designating for assignment Joe Mays.

Mays recently sparked an argument between me and the Crack Technical Staff. CTS said that Ryan Freel would be a better choice to start, whereas I took the more practical approach of saying a pitcher would be better on the mound than a utilityman.

In any event, Mays had been scheduled to start Saturday. Marc says the pitcher is TBA. George Grande said during the game tonight that they seem to be leading toward starting someone on three-days rest, so I guess that would be Arroyo?

At least he's got his binky back. For all the good it's doing him tonight.

Promoted from the Diaries. Love ya, HMZ.

TIME OUT!

The Reds signed Scott Hatteberg to a one-year, $1.65 million contract extension with a club option for 2008.

The official site says the terms of the contract were not disclosed; the terms that I've posted came from an article posted to rotoworld.com an hour ago:

Reds sign 1B Hatteberg for 2007

According to the linked article, Hatteberg will earn $1.5 million next year; the option for 2008 is worth $1.85 million and includes a $150,000 buyout; and the 2008 club option iincreases to a $2 million base salary with a $175,000 buyout if he has 500 plate appearances next season. It also says that he will earn an additional fifty grand 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances each season.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled coverage of the Reds' quest for a 2006 playoff berth, already in progress.

PLAY BALL!

It's zero outs in the bottom of the fifth, and the Astros have already scored more runs this inning than they have the entirety of the rest of the season.

Narron has just now gotten action going in the bullpen.

Who else wants to gag?

Before this game, I told my Crack Technical Staff that the Reds were facing the Astros and Clemens. “Easy,” he said. “They'll only need to score one.”

And he was right, though the Reds piled on a second run in this shutout that got Aaron Harang his eleventh win.

Harang pitched eight innings allowing zero runs on four hits and one walk. Todd Coffey came in in the ninth, prompting me to ask, half asleep on the couch, “where the hell is Guardado?” In fact, Eddie Guardado was unavailable with forearm stiffness. So when Coffey got himself in trouble two-thirds of the way through the ninth, it was Bill Bray who got the last out and his first major league save.

The Reds scored both of their runs off Clemens, which is just nice. Scott Hatteberg knocked in Adam Dunn in the first inning as part of his 3-for-4 night. Harang brought in the other run with a sacrifice bunt when he plated Brandon Phillips in the seventh inning. Harang was 1-for-2 on the night to bring his average to .178. Still .024 higher than Dewayne Wise who pinch-ran for Hatteberg in the ninth. Poor Wise. He has not found his stroke yet.

Anyway, the win brings the Reds' record to 53-47. They're attempting to take the series even as I type this, sending the sideshow that is Bronson Arroyo out to face Andy Pettitte.