Boxscore

In a game that started off looking good for the Cincinnati Reds, the St. Louis Cardinals exploded for 6 runs in the 6th inning to take the lead and win the game.

Mat Latos started for the Reds and was solid through the first 5 innings, allowing just 2 runs. During that time, the Reds’ offense had accumulated a 3-run lead for him to work with. But in the 6th, everything went to hell. Latos faced 5 batters, but retired none of them. All would eventually score. Latos’ final line was 5 innings, 9 hits, 7 runs, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts.

As for the offense, they scored early, taking an early 2-0 lead in the first. Brandon Phillips singled in Zack Cozart. And then Drew Stubbs scored when Ryan Ludwick grounded out. A 3rd run was added in the very next inning when Ryan Hanigan hit a sacrifice fly to score Todd Frazier. Frazier knocked in the 4th run in the 3rd inning by singling in Phillips. The Reds’ scoring ended in the 5th inning, though, with a Scott Rolen double that knocked in Jay Bruce.

After the 5th, the offense was unable to regroup and show the patience required to come back from a 3-run deficit. The team struck out 14 times in the game, and showed little life against a weak Cardinals’ bullpen.

The loss reduces the Reds’ lead over the Cardinals to 6 games. The Reds will try to get that back to 7 today when they send Mike Leake out to face Jaime Garcia at 4:10pm EDT.

Boxscore

For the third time in a row, a Reds-Phillies game was decided by one run. Unfortunately, in this fourth game of the series, the decision was for the Phillies.

Johnny Cueto started for the Reds and had a pretty poor outing, by his standards. He pitched only 5.0 innings, allowing 2 runs (earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks.

The bullpen wasn’t exactly fresh when they were called upon to come in for the ace. Jose Arredondo pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a hit, but Sean Marshall gave up an earned run in his 0.2. Well, it was actually Sam LeCure who let the runner he inherited from Marshall score and tie up the game.

J.J. Hoover worked the next 2.0 and allowed 0 runs on 3 hits and a walk. Alfredo Simon was the unlucky fellow who pitched the bottom of the 11th, loaded up the bases, and finally let the walk-off run score.

In fact, the Reds had to pitch out of jams multiple times. The bases were loaded when the bottom of the ninth ended, and there were 2 on when the bottom of the tenth ended.

The ninth inning featured some ridiculously poor defense (see accompanying video), resulting in the Reds’ one error (though it felt like it should have counted for more than one), and I was amazed that they got out of it.

On the offense, all 3 of the Reds’ RBI belong to Todd Frazier. In the first, he grounded out with the bases loaded to put the Reds on the board. In the sixth, he doubled in Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick. He went 1-for-5 on the night, which was pretty typical: despite hanging with the Phillies in number of runs, the Reds were waaaaay out-hit by them. No player had more than 1 hit on the night, though Ryan Hanigan did walk 3 times.

The loss brings the Reds’ record to 76-50. Tonight they come home to Cincinnati to take on the Cardinals. Mat Latos (RHP, 10-3, 3.56 ERA) defends his home mound against Lance Lynn (RHP, 13-5, 3.73 ERA). First pitch is at 7:10 p.m.

Boxscore

The Reds won their second game in a row against the Phillies last night to ensure no less than a split of the four-game series.

Over the course of his career, Bronson Arroyo has had more trouble with the Phillies than with any other team. On the other hand, he’s also a guy who never seems to do what you expect him to, and that won out last night. In 8.0 innings, he allowed 2 runs (earned) on just 3 hits. This is the team that scored 12 two games ago, and Arroyo takes a perfect game into the fifth. Will wonders never cease?

The Reds offense first got on the board in the fifth inning. Ryan Hanigan walked to start it off and Arroyo sacrificed him over. A Drew Stubbs single two batter later brought in Hanigan (but I thought he was super-slow?) and set up Ryan Ludwick for an RBI single (after a Brandon Phillips single).

Jay Bruce added the capper in the eighth when he led off the inning with a home run to right field. Bruce also had a triple that didn’t amount to anything but was cool.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 76-49. They finish the series with the Phillies tonight at 7:05 p.m. The Reds’s ace and Cy Young contender Johnny Cueto (RHP, 16-6, 2.44 ERA) will face off against a guy whose name I always want to change into “Whole Camels,” Cole Hamels (LHP, 14-6, 2.94 ERA).