You laughed at the time, but the strategy of letting the Cardinals score a zillion runs in the first game of the series to tire them out seems to be working. Of course, then the Reds went and scored a bunch of runs themselves last night, but they're used to it. They've got scoring stamina. It's an organizational tradition.

Yeah, weak smack, I know. It's been a tough week. Our boys will do the smacking for me tonight anyway.

Ryan Freel beat the Cardinals yesterday by a score of 3-10.

Eric Milton worked six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and four walks for the win. David Weathers pitched a hitless, walkless inning. Bill Bray gave up a run (earned) on a couple hits in one. Eddie Guardado wasn't hit in the ninth.

The list of Reds with more than one hit on the night was long, for a change:

• Freel was the freaking awesome, 3-for-4 with three runs scored and the most phenomenal catch in right field that you'll see all damn year.
• Scott Hatteberg was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Ken Griffey Jr. went 2-for-4 with a couple runs scored.
• Edwin Encarnación went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored, so of course he was involved in the double-switch
• Adam Dunn contributed 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI.
• Rich Aurilia was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.

The win brings the Reds' record to 58-55. They continue thwacking the Cards tonight as Aaron Harang takes on Chris Carpenter.

When Gary Majewski was put on the DL recently, we all mostly thought it was an excuse to make some room on the roster without actually DFAing the guy. But last night during the game, I was hearing talk that Majewski really is injured and might have been so before he was traded.

There's a story about it on Reds.com.

And now it's escalated to a he said-he said between Krivsky and Bowden about whether Krivsky called Bowden about the health of the reliever, whether the Reds asked for all the pertinent documents, and whether the Nationals provided complete and correct information in a timely manner.

I have many thoughts on this, but the one I come back to over and over again is, “Well duh. Everybody knows you shouldn't trust Bowden.”

That, and “Does this mean we can we get a do-over?”

I'd like to go on, but it's time to head off to the Indians-Bats game. But before I go, I also heard that Bronson Arroyo got the cornrows back, so maybe win number 10 isn't so far off after all.