Last Game
The Cincinnati Reds finished their sweep of the Florida Marlins and regained sole possession of first place by winning 2-0. Homer Bailey had a great outing in his first start back from the DL, filling in for a suspended Johnny Cueto, no less. Miguel Cairo provided the offense, with a 2-run bomb in the 6th.

Next Game
The Reds had an off day before embarking on another dreaded West Coast road trip. First, they make a stop in Phoenix to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. It will be Bronson Arroyo against Daniel Hudson at 9:40pm EDT.

Votto’s Ejections
Joey Votto was ejected again in his first batting appearance on Sunday. This is the 2nd time that’s happened this year.

This one doesn’t make as much sense, when watching the video available at the above link. Previously, Votto had just been snubbed for the All Star Game and had some pent-up frustration. He also had a full-blown fit, throwing his helmet to the ground and everything. This time, the umpire calls the pitch a strike, and Votto stepped out of the batter’s box. He may or may not have said something out of the side of his mouth. He then stepped back into the box, said something quietly without being demonstrative, and was ejected by the home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn.

It’s impossible to say what Votto said, but it sure seemed like an instance of the umpire making the game about himself instead of what everyone comes to see: baseball. At least he’ll be well-rested for the Diamondbacks tonight.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
Either the Reds or the Cardinals have occupied the top 2 spots of the National League Central–with no team further than 3 games away–for the last 99 days. The only other 2-team race close to that was the 1964 Phillies and Giants, who shared the top 2 spots for 98 days.