Boxscore

After two games in the series between the division leading Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, the Reds have been outscored 6-5. But thanks to not scoring at all during the first game and saving those runs for the second, the series is tied and the Reds have a chance at the series win today.

From looking at the pitching match-up beforehand, it wasn’t the outcome I expected. Matt Cain, he of the recent perfect game and with an ERA in the 2s, against Mike Leake, who struggled at the beginning of the season but has made signs of improvement lately.

Instead of another shutout for the Giants–it would’ve been a 5th straight–the Reds jumped on Cain early. As-early -as-you-can early. Zach Cozart lead off the game with a solo shot, and before the inning was over the Reds added two more, giving Leake a 3-0 lead before setting foot on the mound.

Mike Leake was excellent with that lead. It took 111 pitches, but he accomplished his first complete game. And if it weren’t for a mistake pitch to Pablo Sandoval in the bottom of the 9th–Sandoval kindly deposited that into the right field seats–Leake would have had his first shut-out, too.

In his 9 innings, Leake allowed 1 run, 9 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 4. Oh, and he joined Pete Harnisch in becoming just the second Reds pitcher to pitch a complete game and hit a home run in the same game. It was Leake’s second home run on the season.

Clearly, Leake was the primary Reds’ star of the game. But Joey Votto and Jay Bruce showed some excellence, too. Votto went 3-5, with his 33rd double, and scored a run, while Bruce may just be getting on another of his patented streaks again. He went 4-4 and drove in 3 runs. Maybe that will make Thom Brennaman swallow some of his disgust for Bruce for a while.

The two teams finish the series this afternoon at 4:05pm EDT. Mat Latos goes to the mound for the Reds, with everyone hoping that his excellent outing last time was a sign that he’s settled down and will start pitching the way he knows how. The Giants will counter with Barry Zito.

Boxscore

I stayed up until 1 a.m., but then turned it off after the 8th and missed all the excitement. Oh wait, there was no excitement. The Reds were shut-out and 1-hit. Final score: Reds 0, Giants 5.

Johnny Cueto took the mound for the Reds, but he got touched early and his team never recovered. In 6.0 innings pitched he allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits and 4 walks. I’m not sure what to think about all those walks, but he did pick off two runners in the fourth inning. That was a meager bright spot.

Sam LeCure came in for an inning and gave up the other runs, and Jose Arredondo finished it out with a scoreless inning, but the game could have ended after the first inning with the same result.

There’s not much to say about the Reds’ offense: they had three baserunners on the whole night. Drew Stubbs drew walks twice and successfully stole once. Ryan Hannigan broke up the no-hitter (reducing it to a mere 1-hitter) in the sixth. And that’s it.

The pain is unlikely to end as the series continues tonight. Mike Leake (2-5, 4.46 ERA) goes against Matt Cain (9-2, 2.27 ERA) who isn’t far removed from a perfect game and has gone 4-0 with a 1.25 ERA in June. It’s another late one, with the first pitch at 10:15 p.m. ET

Boxscore

There was a pretty large crowd on hand for a day game, and it was even on tv, but I think most everyone could have done with seeing less of this stinker. The Reds were behind early and it just never got better till it was over with a score of 8-4.

Homer Bailey started for the Reds and just couldn’t last very long. In 4.0 innings pitched he allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits and a walk. Alfredo Simon (2.0 IP), Bill Bray (1.0 IP), and Logan Ondrusek (1.0 IP) were scoreless, but Jose Arredondo really struggled in the ninth. With 2 outs in the inning, he loaded the bases and walked in 2 runs before Sam LeCure came in to get the last out.

Even without the scoring in the ninth, though, the Reds offense had not been able to put together enough against Zack Greinke to contend with the Brewers. Ryan Ludwick had 2 hits and they were home runs no less, but there was no one on. The other 2 RBI belonged to Brandon Phillips, who later left the game after getting a knee to the head from a sliding runner, and Miguel Cairo, who filled in for him at second.

The loss brings the Reds’ record to 41-33. It was the last home game before the All-Star break as the team heads out to the west coast for some seriously jetlagged baseball. Tonight they take on the Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, and they’re putting their best foot forward. Johnny Cueto (9-3, 2.21 ERA) takes on Madison Bumgarner (9-4, 3.10 ERA) at 10:15 p.m. ET

Boxscore

It was a crazy game yesterday and the Reds ended up with the win over the Brewers, 3-4.

It was almost a no-hit performance for starter Bronson Arroyo, but then the eighth inning happened. Until then, the only baserunner he’d allowed was Ryan Braun whom he’d hit with a pitch with 2 outs in the first inning. Next Aramis Ramirez flied out and stranded him, though, so it was all good.

Arroyo started out the eighth by striking out Travis Ishikawa, but then gave up a walk to George Kottaras and a double to Taylor Green. Corey Hart doubled to bring in two runs and an out later, Norichika Aoki singled in Hart and that’s all there was for Arroyo. What began as a stellar start still looked pretty good by the time it was all done: 7.2 innings pitched, 3 runs (earned) on 3 hits and a walk. No home runs allowed.

Sean Marshall finished out the eighth and Aroldis Chapman shut ’em down in the ninth. So excited was Chapman not to have blown a save for a change that he promptly did a couple somersaults while walking toward the plate, which has some people’s panties in a bunch. Myself, I don’t mind the exuberance, but I think he could have done a cooler tumbling run. I’d only give it a 5.5.

The Reds’ scoring came primarily in the sixth inning when Joey Votto doubled, Brandon Phillips singled, and Jay Bruce homered, bringing them all in. After the Brewers tied it up in the top of the eighth, Drew Stubbs untied it with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, which turned out to be the winning run.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 41-32. The Cardinals won last night and the Pirates lost, so while the Reds maintain their 2.0 game lead in the central, the second place title now belongs solely to the Cardinals. With the Reds about to head out on the notoriously brutal west coast road trip, the Cardinals may well be challenging for first by the time the two teams meet in the first series after the All-Star Break.

The Reds and Brewers finish off the series today at 12:35 p.m. in GABP. The Reds are hoping for a sweep, but it won’t be an easy one. Zack Greinke (8-2, 2.81 ERA) takes on Homer Bailey (5-5, 4.20 ERA).

Boxscore

The Reds got their winning streak up to 1 last night by beating the Brewers in the first game of the series.

Oh, Mat Latos. This was a performance we really, really liked. Let’s stop worrying about proving that it was worthwhile to trade for you and just keep pitching like that, huh? In 9.0 innings of work, Latos allowed 1 run (earned) on 4 hits and 2 walks. He struck out a career-high 13, giving all the fans at GABP free pizza and ice cream. A yummy performance all around.

And if that weren’t enough, Latos brought his bat as well. He went 2-for-3, though no one could seem to bring him in. Drew Stubbs, freshly off the DL, also went 2-for-3, but he also got to score 2 of the Reds’ 3 runs. Joey Votto, though hitless on the night, scored the other run thanks to a walk in the fourth inning.

The RBI belonged to Brandon Phillips (1) and Jay Bruce (2). The Reds didn’t hit any home runs last night, but that’s how the Brewer’s got their one run. Whatever.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 40-32. Game 2 against the Brewers is tonight at 7:10 p.m. when Bronson Arroyo (3-5, 4.19 ERA) defends against Marco Estrada (0-3, 4.50 ERA).