The Cubs overcame an uncharacteristically crappy start from Aaron Harang to lose to the Reds yesterday 6-5.

Harang went over four innngs allowing five runs (earned) on nine hits, which at least gave manager Jerry Narron plenty of innings to work out our overstocked bullpen. Jon Coutlangus worked a hitless fifth. Victor Santos and Rheal Cormier combined for a scoreless sixth. Todd Coffey worked the seventh and eighth for the win, and David Weathers brought it all home with a scoreless ninth for the save.

Carlos Zambrano was doing pretty well until his meltdown in the fifth, and thanks to the wonders of baseball scoring, he was charged with all of the runs, even though Will Ohman walked in the tying and winning runs. Therefore, Ohman continues to sport a healthy 0.00 ERA and hopefully we can look forward to seeing more of this caliber of play from him.

For the Reds, Josh Hamilton, Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey, Jr., Scott Hatteberg, and Javier Valentín contributed RBI. Oh, and Zambrano and Ohman too, of course.

The win brings the Reds record to 6-4 and puts them again atop the NLC. They continue their series with the Cubs today at 1:05 p.m. when Bronson Arroyo takes the mound against Rich Hill.

Monday, Friday? Practically the same day. The latest episode’s finally available. This week we talk about:

• The ever-important issue of how the guys look in their away uniforms
• The first games of the season
• The ballad of Eric Milton
• Our new broadcasters for 2007
• The crazy weather
• Not a dry Yankee eye in the House Ruth Built
• Pair launch Pillow Fight League

Episode 53: The First Week in Review (18.0 MB, 26:16)

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The CTS found a cheap laptop today at Best Buy, so suddenly I have a computer to tap away on during the game, even though the CTS is also tapping away at his computer. He's editing photos from our vacation, by the way. There's me holding a big, blue parrot. This is quality family time, I tell you.

The chemistry of the commentators seems to be working better tonight, at least through the top of the first. Hopefully this game won't be as painful to listen to as last nights, nor as painful to look at the line score.

The Reds kept us up half the night only to break our hearts around midnight last night when they fell to Arizona in extra innings.

Not too long after Randy Keisler put in his two-run, six-inning performance for the Cardinals in place of Chris Carpenter (damn those Cardinals and their picking up of Reds' pitchers!), Kyle Lohse was giving up four runs (earned) on six hits in seven innings. Not a horrible performance by any means, and if we could get that consistently out of him all year, I think we'd be doing OK.

Rheal Cormier worked two outs, Todd Coffey worked one, and Mike Stanton worked one. Seems like a lot of pitchers for an inning and a third, if you ask me, but none of them gave up any runs. Kirk Saarloos finished out the ninth, before the Reds finally sent a guy to the mound for a whole inning. It was a little too much for David Weathers who worked an inning and two thirds before giving up the game-winning run in the bottom ofthe eleventh.

Like many people, I'm sure, I went to bed before the game was over, but not before Josh Hamilton had his big first major league start/first major league hit/first major league homer. This guy must have talent oozing out of his pores to be doing as well as he has been. Just think if he'd been in the majors all along. Dang, the Devil Rays would be freaky good.

Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips also had home runs last night, but alas, it wasn't enough. Maybe tonight.

The loss brings the Reds' record to 4-4 and put them in a tie for first with the Pirates and Cards. However, the Cards have already beaten the Pirates again since then, so now the Reds are a half game in second, tied with the Brewers. Ah, the early season rankings.

Tonight, the Reds try to avoid the sweep. Matt Belisle goes against Micah Owings at 9:40 p.m.

I thought I was just being crankier than usual when I wanted to reach into my t.v. and smack Thom Brennaman for the dull, constant roar that was his Reds bashing last night, but apparently it was going around.

Over on Red Reporter, they were apparently talking about the commentary in the game thread:

I was stuck with the Arizona announcers through DirecTV, but I read the game thread and it sounds like Thom Brennaman was brutal. He's really not getting off to a good start with things. Guy's even bitchier than his father, which I wouldn't have thought was possible. And hell, I like Marty, but Thom doesn't have the benefit of tenure with Reds fans so he needs to tread a little lighter.

JP at Reds and Blues goes into much more detail about the matter:

The desert is a cruel place where dreams often go to die. The sand around Phoenix is littered with bones of those things felled by the savagery of the desert, and if we are to believe Thom Brennaman’s on air comments last night, the Reds’ season became buzzard food last night after dropping their third in a row. Perhaps Thom is correct; Matt Belisle is throwing tonight, and no ballads will ever be written about Belisle the Stopper. However, Thom needs to lighten up before he is confused with Colin Cowherd.

Of course, not everyone thought that Brennaman's interminable curmudgeonly ranting was a bad thing. Jeff at Reds Rally agreed whole-heartedly:

On a side note: Thom Brennaman is right on in his assessment and I hope they never tell him to dial it down. He's exactly right. And, he's exactly like his father. He'll be just fine in that chair for a few decades in my opinion.

Takes all kinds, I reckon.