Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Brewers (739-75)	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	2	5	0
Reds (93-61)	0	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	-	4	9	0

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds won the opener of their final home series of the 2012 season, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2.

Johnny Cueto started and pitched better than he has in a while. Cueto lasted 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and no walks while striking out 5. He weathered some concern over a potential leg issue early on in the game, but clearly it didn’t bother his pitching. In his first attempt to pick up his 19th win, he did so. He should have 1 more chance to get to number 20.

The Reds took the lead in the bottom of the 2nd and never let it go. After three singles from Jay Bruce, Chris Heisey, and Drew Stubbs, Dioner Navarro came to the plate and drove in two with a line drive to left field.

In the 5th, after the Brewers had gotten on the board, the Reds responded by getting that run plus another back. Zack Cozart led off the inning with a triple. Joey Votto followed up with a double to score him. Two batter later, Bruce doubled in Votto.

Those 4 runs were enough for Cueto and the bullpen to handle. Jonathan Broxton pitched his scoreless 8th, and Aroldis Chapman, in his first save appearance since his long break, had an easy 1-2-3 9th. Chapman failed to strike anyone out, but his fastball was in the high-90s. His control was improving as the inning went along, too.

The Reds and Brewers play the second game of their series tonight. Bronson Arroyo will continue the Reds’ fight for the best record in the National League, while Shaun Marcum will try to keep the Brewers’ wild card hopes alive. Game time is 7:10pm.

The Cincinnati Reds released today what had kept manager Dusty Baker away from the team for so long. As everyone feared, it was more than just an irregular heartbeat. Baker had a stroke on Friday.

While in Chicago on Wednesday, Reds manager Dusty Baker was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, commonly referred to as an irregular heartbeat. As he was being discharged on Friday, he suffered a mini-stroke and immediately was treated by the hospital’s stroke team, which minimized the effects of the stroke.

Dusty returned to Cincinnati on Sunday, and his condition has improved dramatically. His Cincinnati neurologist, Dr. Joseph Broderick, and cardiologists, Dr. Dean Kereiakes and Dr. Daniel Beyerbach, expect Dusty to make a full recovery and return to the dugout, possibly as soon as the season’s final series next week in St. Louis.

Dusty said, “While at Wrigley Field I was blessed to have our trainer, Paul Lessard, have the good sense to call in Cubs team physician Dr. Stephen Adams, who examined me in the clubhouse, immediately determined how serious by condition was and personally rushed me to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Broderick and Dr. Kereiakes are going to make sure I’m ready to handle the duties of managing before I return full time. My family and I are very grateful for the support we’ve received the past few days from Mr. Castellini and our ownership group, Walt, our friends, the baseball family and especially Reds fans. I’m feeling much better, and it’s great being back here in Cincinnati. Chris Speier and my staff are doing a terrific job, and I look forward to getting back to the dugout.”

I hope Baker is able to recover enough to manage the team again soon. He’s already had to miss the division-clinching night. Missing the playoffs would be tragic. Get well soon, Dusty.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dodgers	0	1	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	5	8	1
Reds	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	6	1

Boxscore

The Reds didn’t look so good in their first post-clinching game last night. It was the deciding game in the 3-game series against the Dodgers and it was a 5-3 loss.

Homer Bailey was actually looking pretty good for the majority of his time on the mound, especially considering it was a home game (which are never his best performances) and especially considering that he had the JV team behind him.

He allowed only a solo shot through six innings, but then the seventh happened: another solo shot, a couple singles, an error on a sacrifice bunt play, and a walk, and suddenly Bailey’s night was over. Jose Arredondo held ’em scoreless in the rest of the seventh and eighth, and J.J. Hoover did the same in the ninth, but the Reds offense wasn’t up to the task.

I guess it’s kind of hard to fault the Reds for resting some of their guys about now. And it’s nice that Wilson Valdez, Miguel Cairo, and Denis Phipps get to see the field. Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey even got to take the field at the same time. (Take that all you people who insisted they were actually the same person!)

And it wasn’t lack of baserunners that undid the team this time. The Reds were outhit 8-6 by the Dodgers, but they also drew 7 walks. Unfortunately, 3 of those were to Joey Votto, which is probably among the reasons the Reds were outmatched in this game. It’s such a bummer to see that strategy be so effective, isn’t it?

The loss brings the Reds’ record to 92-61. They are already the owners of the first place position in the NLC, may actually do better to get the second seed in the play-offs, and might prefer to see their upcoming opponents challenge for the wildcard, so…these last 9 regular season games might not be that fun to watch.

They take the day off today and are back at it tomorrow when they host the Brewers. Johnny Cueto (RHP, 18-9, 2.84 ERA) takes on Mike Fiers (RHP, 9-8, 3.38 ERA). First pitch at 7:10 p.m.