Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Astros (43-96)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	9	1
Reds (84-56)	0	1	1	0	0	3	0	0	-	5	8	1

Boxscore

After losing in the 9th to the Houston Astros the game before, Bronson Arroyo and the Cincinnati Reds did not let that happen again last night.

Well, I guess it wasn’t that easy. Arroyo did allow a run in the first inning to start the game, but he recovered and allowed no more runs after that. He turned in an excellent start for his 12th win, going 7 innings, giving up just the 1 run on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 5 strikeouts. Sean Marshall and Jonathan Broxton finished the game throwing a shutout inning apiece.

Despite the early one-run deficit, the offense wasn’t intimidated. Jay Bruce tied it with his 33rd home run in the second. And then Brandon Phillips tied it in the next inning with a solo shot of his own, a line drive to right that just cleared the wall.

It was a 1-run game until the 6th, when the Reds broke the game open by sending every batter to the plate and scoring 3 runs. Joey Votto led the inning off with a double. A line out and a couple walks later, the bases were loaded for Ryan Hanigan, who singled to right field to drive in Votto.

The next batter was the non-hitter Wilson Valdez. Because it was the Astros, his ground ball back to the pitcher, which should have been an inning-ending double-play, ended up driving in two instead. The pitcher, Fernando Rodriquez, seemed to slip while fielding the ball. At that point, he had no play at any base, but decided to throw to home anyway. It was a wild throw, and ended up in the Reds dugout.

That was the end of the scoring for both teams. The win combined with a St. Louis Cardinals loss dropped the Reds’ magic number to 14.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Astros (43-95)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	9	0
Reds (83-56)	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	10	2

Boxscore

Aroldis Chapman blew his first save in a long time last night, letting the Houston Astros defeat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3.

Of course, if this is like the last time Chapman realized he was mortal, he’ll quickly forget it and move on to another string of 20 or more saves in a row. Which should hopefully take the team straight through the World Series. Yes, I can get behind the idea of no more blown saves until next year.

The blown save was unfortunate in many ways. The Reds lost to a crappy team and were unable to add a game to their lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, who lost in extras. Also, it made Homer Bailey unable to get his career-high 11th win. After struggling in the first inning, he settled down and had himself a very solid outing, allowing 2 runs–all in the first–on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 9.

Of course, if the Reds’ offense hadn’t disappeared against the Astros, Chapman never would’ve been in the position to be holding a 1 run lead. After Bailey spotted the Astros 2 runs in the top of the first, the Reds came right back. Brandon Phillips and Chris Heisey reached on singles, and then Joey Votto walked. Next, Ryan Ludwick drove in Phillips and Heisey with a single to left field.

Unfortunately, the scoring stopped there, thanks to a Jay Bruce line out and a Todd Frazier double play. Oh, what could have been.

The Reds took the lead in the 5th when Bruce drove in Heisey. But they were never able to increase the lead from 1 run.

The Reds try again this evening when they send Bronson Arroyo against Bud Norris at 7:10pm EDT. And they better win this time because I’ll be in attendance.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Phillies (66-71)	0	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	7	0
Reds (83-55)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	10	0

Boxscore

Well, that could’ve gone better.

Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto returned to the lineup yesterday for the first time since July 16, and he performed well. In 4 at bats, he had 2 hits and walked once. But starter Mike Leake apparently thought Votto’s return would be worth 4 runs and proceeded to allow the Philadelphia Phillies to win by that many.

Leake pitched a perfect first, but fell apart in the 2nd and was unable to finish the third without being relieved. His final line was 2 1/3 innings, during which time he allowed 6 runs, 6 hits, and 1 walk. He struck out 1. After him, the bullpen kept the Phillies off the board. Alfredo Simon, Sam LeCure, Sean Marshall, and September call-up Pedro Villareal combined for 6 2/3 innings of shutout baseball.

Unfortunately, a 6-run lead was more than enough for Roy Halladay.

The Reds’ scoring came from the incradibly hot Jay Bruce. In the 4th inning, he doubled in Chris Heisey to get the Reds on the board. And in the 9th, he homered for his 4th straight game. The man is on fire right now, and I’m hoping it either continues or has time to start up again for the playoffs.

The Reds lost, but so did the St. Louis Cardinals, dropping the Reds’ magic number to 17.

Cincinnati has today off before Houston comes to town to start a 3-game series on Friday.

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

Boxscore

I realize it’s a little late to be talking about yesterday’s game. I got busy this morning and ran out of time, but I decided to write this one anyway because:

1. If I wrote about today’s game instead, I wouldn’t have much to say tomorrow, when there’s an off-day, and
2. I don’t really want to think about today’s game. I prefer to live in the past. So here we go.

Mat Latos had a hell of a game yesterday, holding the Phillies to just one run. He worked 7.0 innings and only surrendered 4 hits. That’s some skill I’d like to see him demonstrating in the play-offs, my friends.

Jonathan Broxton worked the eighth and didn’t give up a hit to get a hold. Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth and also didn’t give up a hit to get a save (his 35th). This is also the kind of skill I want to see in the play-offs. The bullpen has just been stellar, but it’s kind of easy to forget about because we can go for such long stretches without seeing much of it.

Speaking of things we want to see in the post-season, Jay Bruce continued his hot streak last night. He was 2-for-3 with a walk and both of the Reds’ RBI. He hit a home run in the sixth with Ryan Ludwick aboard to give the Reds all the score they’d need.

Also notable, if less flashy, Ryan Hanigan also went 2-for-3 on the night (good thing he hits before the pitcher or his contribution might be wasted) and Xavier Paul got a hit in his pinch-hit appearance.

The win brought the Reds’ record to 83-54 and it tied the series with the Phillies at 1. They went on to finish out the series today at 12:35 p.m. If you haven’t checked the score yet, I won’t spoil it, but you can pretty much guess what would happen when Mike Leake (RHP, 7-8, 4.45 ERA) goes up against Roy Halladay (RHP, 8-7, 4.02 ERA).

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

Boxscore

The Reds lost a disappointing series opener against the Phillies yesterday by a score of 4-2.

Johnny Cueto was pitching for the Reds and had a pretty poor outing by his standards. In 7.0 innings of work, he allowed 4 runs (earned) on 8 hits. Two of those were home runs: one to Jimmy Rollins with 2 guys on in the fifth and a solo shot to John Mayberry in the sixth.

If he’d gotten the win, it would have been a big deal, since no Red has gotten to 18 wins since I was in high school. I guess he’ll have to wait another 5 days for that.

J.J. Hoover and Logan Ondrusek each put in a hitless inning of work to follow up Cueto’s performance. Good for them. It’s nice to know the Phillies can’t just beat up on everybody on the Reds’ roster.

Jay Bruce was the sole provider of the RBI. He hit a home run in the second inning and tried to keep a rally going with 2 outs in the ninth by knocking in Ryan Ludwick. But alas, that’s all that ever came of the offensive threat.

In addition to Bruce’s 2 hits, Ludwick also went 2-for-4, and Todd Frazier and Brandon Phillips each had a hit. September call-up Denis Phipps pinch hit in the eighth and walked.

The loss brings the Reds’ record to 82-54. Today they continue the series when Mat Latos (RHP, 11-4, 3.79 ERA) tries his hand against Kyle Kendrick (RHP, 8-9, 4.01 ERA) for the Phillies. First pitch at 7:10 p.m.