Boxscore

The Reds (8-12) and Matt Belisle (0-1) discovered that minor league batters aren’t as good as their Major League counterparts when they played the Dodgers (8-11).

Belisle had dominated during rehabbing in the minors, but managed only one scoreless inning in the four he pitched. He sure didn’t provide Josh Fogg any competition for that fifth starter’s spot.

Meanwhile, for the Dodgers, Brad Penny (3-2) cruised to a win and Chan Ho Park (S 1) pitched the final three innings to pick up his first career save.

Lots of misery for the Reds over the last few series. Bright spots were provided by the young guys as both Edwin Encarnacion and Joey Votto homered.

Also worth noting, Jerry Hairston, Jr, made his first appearance as a Red. Yes, he was called up before the game when Juan Castro was DFAd. I envision it as a big fight between Wayne Krivsky and Dusty Baker. I mean, these players are on the receiving end of some serious man-crush action from the higher-ups despite never providing any benefit to their teams. Perhaps Krivsky and Baker are made for each other, given their love of no-hit, crappy-fielding middle infielders.

The Reds try not to lose another series when they Edinson Volquez against Hong-Chih Kuo tonight at 7:10pm EDT.

Boxscore

On the day that speculation is raised about the Cubs possibly throwing the 1918 World Series, a year before the South-Siders did so, the Cubs (13-6) responded by hammering the Mets (10-8). Take that, history!

The Big Moose (3-1) was excellent in seven innings, while John Maine (1-2) wasn’t so much.

I imagine the Cubs are hoping for more decades-old scandals to erupt to continue propelling them on their charge into first. Who knows what skeletons Ron Santo has hidden.

The Mets try to stop the Cubs 4-game winning streak when they send Nelson Figueroa out against Ted Lilly at 2:20pm EDT.

Boxscore

I stop paying attention to baseball over the weekend, and lo and behold, the Astros (8-12) embarked on an actual winning streak. Sure it’s only two games, but that’s a start.

Roy Oswalt (2-3) seems to have returned to his old self, pitching 7 innings, striking out 6, and allowing just three runs. Former Red Justin Germano (0-2) was awful for the padres, allowing 10 runs, all earned, in his 3 1/3 innings. Ouch.

It’s nice to see the Astros offense start to come around. Berkman and Tejada both homered for Houston.

The Astros seek to continue their streaking ways tonight when Jake Peavy goes against Brandon Backe at 8:05pm EDT.

Boxscore

A day after royally blowing a save to the Reds, the Brewers (11-8) gave Eric Gagne the night off and instead turned to Derick Turnbow (0-1) to face the Cardinals (13-7) with a tied game in the top of the ninth.

Turnbow did slightly better than Gagne the day before, only Turnbow doesn’t have the four-days-in-a-row of pitching excuse. Brian Barton lead off the inning with a double and score an out later on Skip Schumaker’s hit.

Ryan Franklin (1-1) picks up the vulture win after having blown the save, and Jason Isringhausen (S 7) got the actual save.

The two face again Tuesday at 1:05pm EDT. Kyle Lohse faces Manny Parra.CA