FOX Sports picked up the Reds game yesterday. Yay! Wait, the blue is where they showed it:

I might point out that the coverage would have been better if they’d just left it on FSOH, but thousands of Reds fans who didn’t get to see the game last night already know that.

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds seem to have at least one game like yesterday’s every year. They had a 7-2 lead heading into the 8th, and the bullpen had a spectacular implosion that resulted in a painful loss. Many teams have done this to the Reds, including the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. And now add the Los Angeles Dodgers to that list.

Everything was going great for the majority of the game. Johnny Cueto started and followed up his complete game effort last start with 7 strong innings of 2-run baseball. The offense provided more than enough runs by scoring 7, including a 3-run home run from Joey Votto.

But the bullpen failed the second it was given the ball in the 8th. Nick Masset was the first hapless fellow, getting only 1 of the 4 batters he faced out. Bill Bray was next. He came in to face one batter with the bases loaded, whom he promptly walked. Then Logan Ondrusek completed the 8th inning’s orgy of sucking by allowing a grand slam to tie the game.

The game eventually headed into extra innings, but the Reds were already done. The 8th inning killed them again. Carlos Fisher ended up getting the loss by allowing 4 runs in the 11th, but you could make a good case that any of those pitchers from the 8th was deserving.

The series with the Dodgers is even now, and despite the painful loss, the Reds still have a chance of taking the series today, assuming they can bounce back.

Boxscore

Clearly, more off days are needed.

The Cincinnati Reds managed to get themselves an honest-to-goodness winning streak going after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in their series opener tonight. Sure, the Reds have won just 2 in a row–the bare minimum for a streak–but every streak gets to 2 at some point.

Bronson Arroyo started for Cincinnati and finally found some goodness. Instead of his early, third-inning exit, he actually made it through 6 innings. Arroyo allowed 1 run, while scattering 5 hits.

The Reds’ offense wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders as they left 8 on base, but they managed to get one hit with runners on. And that was enough. With the bases loaded in the 5th inning, Scott Rolen found a hit in his tired bat and drove in the only runs the Reds needed.

The bullpen of Logan Ondrusek, Nick Masset, and Francisco Cordero made the lead stand, and the Reds improved their record to 30-28.

Jay Bruce takes player of the month honors in May and is the first Red to do so since Adam Dunn did it in 2006. With as hot as he’s been, can the June award be far behind? — Amanda

Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce has been voted the Budweiser Presents National League Player of the Month for May. Budweiser, the official beer sponsor of Major League Baseball and sponsor for 24 of 30 MLB clubs, is also the presenting sponsor of the National League and American League Player of the Month Awards.

In 28 games this past month, the left-handed hitting slugger had a Major League-best 12 home runs and 33 RBI, while leading the National League in runs scored (23), slugging percentage (.739) and extra-base hits (19). Bruce’s 38 hits were tied for third among National Leaguers and his .342 (38-for-111) batting average was tied for fourth.

The Texas native’s home run and RBI totals were the highest in a calendar month by a Reds batter since Adam Dunn’s 12 long balls in July 2008 and Greg Vaughn’s 33 RBI in September 1999. On May 10th, the 24-year-old powered the Reds to a 10-4 win over the visiting Houston Astros, going 3-for-4 with a double and a home run. On May 24th, Bruce’s ninth-inning double off of Philadelphia reliever Ryan Madson broke a 3-3 tie and led the Reds to a 6-3 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

He earned his second career N.L. Player of the Week Award after clubbing four home runs and leading the Majors with 13 RBI and 25 totals bases during the week of May 23-29. The 12th overall selection in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft notched his fifth three-RBI performance of the month on May 30th, going 3-for-4 with a triple and a home run as the Reds defeated the Brewers, 7-3, at Great American Ball Park. Bruce’s 46 RBI are tied for first in the Majors this season and his 17 home runs lead the National League. His 32 home runs since August 2010 are the most in the N.L during that span. This marks his first-career monthly award.

Other players receiving votes included shortstop Jose Reyes of the New York Mets, who led the National League with a .364 batting average and 11 stolen bases while collecting 40 hits; Astros outfielder
Hunter Pence, who batted .342 with 40 hits, four home runs and 22 RBI on the month; and Washington’s Mike Morse, who had six home runs and 15 RBI in only 64 plate appearances.

The Budweiser Presents National League Player of the Month, Jay Bruce, will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, in recognition of his accomplishment.

Better today, but I’m still behind the Couch-to-5k pace. I don’t know what’s going to happen in nine days when we have to do this for reals.

One thing I do know, though, is that once it’s all done, I’m going to be in the mood to party. Want to get in on that party? Here’s how to join in:

1. Go to http://reds.com/5k to register for the Redlegs Run.
2. Email blogjog@reds.com to say you’ll be at the Blog Jog events before and/or after the run.
3. Go to Cafe Press to order your Red Hot shirt, in styles for women or men.

That last step isn’t strictly required, but it’ll make you look cool. You pay to register for the run, but there’s no additional charge for hanging with the bloggers.