After taking two-of-three from the Indians in Cleveland last weekend, the Reds gave up two-of-three this weekend in Cincinnati. They capped off the performance this afternoon with a 6-3 loss.

Eric Milton gave the kind of start we would have loved out of him last year, allowing three runs (earned) on six hits and two walks through six innings.

Kent Mercker put up a hitless seventh. David Weathers identified himself as next to be replaced by giving up two runs on two hits in the eighth for the loss. Matt Belisle allowed one more run on a solo shot in the ninth.

In fact, this game looked very winnable most of the way through. The Reds' matched the Indians' run in the second with a solo shot by David Ross. They took the lead in the third when Felipe Lopez walked, advanced to second on a Brandon Phillips single, and scored on a Adam Dunn single. Ross sent flying another solo shot in the sixth to keep it close.

A bad call in the eighth sent Dunn back to the dugout when he should have been safe at first and Jerry Narron to the showers when he should have been sitting calmly on the bench, watching a beautifully executed come-from-behind victory.

Austin Kearns then walked with one out and no one on, instead of no outs and one on. Scott Hatteberg singled and sent Kearns to third, instead of also sending Dunn home.

When Ross hit into a double play, the inning was over with no runs scoring, instead of two away, one run scored, and Juan Castro coming to the plate. Casto doubled when he came up in the ninth.

Sigh. Two games in a row with bad calls and two winnable games in a row with a notch in the loss column.

The loss brings the Reds' record to 44-38 and starts the mathematical second half off wrong. They head to Milwaukee tomorrow to send Aaron Harang up against Dave Bush.

The Reds spared the bullpen the focus of a loss for a change by hanging the starter out to the dry on Saturday in a 12-7 loss to the Indians.

Joe “Stopgap” Mays allowed eight runs (earned) on eleven hits and four walks through his five innings of work. Four of those runs came on a grand slam to Travis Hafner in the fifth inning.

Still, you can understand why manager Jerry Narron wasn't quicker with the hook on Mays. Though Jason Standridge put up a scoreless inning on one hit in the sixth, the next two pitchers were not so effective. Brian Shackelford allowed two runs (earned) on two hits in the seventh and Matt Belisle allowed two runs on three hits in the eighth. David Weathers worked a hitless ninth.

If the bullpen had pitched scoreless innings, the Reds would have won this game. Not because their four runs allowed were the difference, but because if we had a bullpen that could do such a thing, the starter never would have been allowed to get himself into so much trouble.

Ryan Freel had a good night, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Rich Aurilia went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. But the story of the evening was the stand-out defense. Juan Castro had one particularly phenomenal play where he made an impossibly quick flip to Freel at third for the out, though a bad call found the runner safe at third. Brandon Phillips also contributed to some excellent infield defense.

So that was nice for a change. If only they could pitch.

The loss brought the Reds' record to 44-37. They would go for the series win on Sunday when Eric Milton faced off against CC Sabathia.

This week on the podcast I talk with Pat Lackey, author of the incredibly popular Pirates blog Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke? We discuss the Pirates' recent 13-game losing streak, the organization's bizarre behavior regarding veterans and young talent, the Irate Fans, the close relationship between Pirate blogs and the Pittsburgh “legitimate” media, and other stuff as it occurred to us.

Of course, I get in a few jabs about how much better the Reds are doing comparatively, but not too much. That's just too easy. Too bad I couldn't make similar comparisons about how RHM is doing compared to WHYGAS?

The program ends with 30 seconds of And Andy's song Wire to Wire, one of the tracks from Cincinnati Clutch Hits.

Episode 17: Chatting with Pat Lackey. (14.5 MB, 21:13)

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For the second straight night Adam Dunn came through with the game-winning hit in the late innings to carry the Reds to a victory over the Indians, 8-9.

Elizardo Ramirez had a rough first inning. I turned on the game with two outs in the bottom of the first, and I believe my exact quote was, “Ho. Lee. Shit.” For, you see, the Indians were already up by five. Before The Lizard's five innings were through, he would allow six runs (earned) on eight hits.

Without Chris Hammond to put inexplicably into the ballgame, Jerry Narron had to resort to Jason Standridge. Standridge worked a hitless sixth.

Esteban Yan, guy I'd nearly forgotten existed, was on next. We worked two innings of one-run baseball. Kent Mercker was lucky enough to have worked immediately previous to the big rally for the win, despite the fact that he allowed a run (earned) on two hits in one inning.

Paul Byrd stymied the Reds' offense for his six innings. You may recall how he shut the Reds out just last week in Cleveland. Should the struggling Indians feel like flipping the Byrd next month, I think the Reds should pursue.

Austin Kearns came damn close to hitting one over the wall in the second inning before actually doing it in the eighth to bring in the Reds' first run. After Brandon Phillips and Javier Valentín singled, Juan Castro knocked a three-run pinch-hit home run to left field.

But it was the ninth when the real magic happened. With one out, Kearns singled and stole second while Phillips was batting, and advanced to third on Phillips base hit. A wild pitch while Javy was batting allowed Phillips to move up, and Javy's ground out to first brought in Kearns.

Ryan Freel walked and advanced to second on that stupid cop-out they call “defensive indifference.” Felipe Lopez walked to load up the bases for the last guy you want to see at the plate in that situation: Adam Dunn.

But I'll be damned if the Big Donkey didn't hit a freaking walk-off grand slam.

The win brings the Reds' record to 44-36. Add in the Cardinals' extra-innings loss to the Royals (and they didn't even have Milton pitching!) and the Reds are tied for first place in the NLC. w00t! They continue the interleague action tomorrow at 6:10 p.m. when Joe Mays takes on Cliff Lee.