Last Game
The Reds beat the Cardinals last night to sweep the 3-game series in Cincinnati: Reds 4, Cardinals 2. It’s the Reds’ sixth win in a row, and that’s what it took to wrest first place in the NLC back from the Pirates. The Reds are now in sole possession of first place in the division by 1.0 games.

Next Game
Tonight, the Reds host the Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park. Bronson Arroyo (4-5, 3.73 ERA) will defend against All-Star Wade Miley (9-5, 3.04 ERA). This could be a rough match-up for Arroyo, but he’s also coming off a great outing in San Diego.

The Other End of the Spectrum
With all the jockeying for the first three positions between the Reds, Pirates, and Cardinals, it can be easy to forget about the rest of the NLC, but the Cubs have recently pulled themselves out of last place. They’ve gone 12-4 in their last 16, which has brought their overall record to 36-52 and 3.5 games ahead of the Astros.

Their most recent accomplishment is a 3-game sweep of the Diamondbacks, which, as you may remember from the last section, is the team coming to visit the Reds tonight.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
The Reds have had 6-game winnings streaks twice this season, most recently June 12-June 16. If they win tonight, though, the 7-game win streak will be the highest of the season.