Boxscore

When the Reds sent out a Sunday afternoon line-up that featured Wilson Valdez, Miguel Cairo, and Willy Harris, you could tell this was not the same team that’s been doing all the winning lately. That didn’t stop them, though, and the Reds took home the victory, 3-1.

Johnny Cueto took the mound for the Reds, which is always a good sign. He had a little weirdness though. Not only did he walk in the Mets’ only run in the second inning, he also suffered some light-headedness in the top of the third inning after hitting a double to lead off. The trainer got him some meds and he was OK after that. Maybe it was a little lingering flu-like symptoms.

When it was all said and done, he pitched 7.0 innings and allowed 1 run (earned) on 6 hits and a walk. He struck out a record-high 8 batters. Jose Arredondo put in the next .2 innings of work, allowing 0 runs on 1 hit. Sean Marshall got the 1.1 inning save by putting in a hitless performance.

For the offense, Zack Cozart is quietly making himself a Rookie-of-the-Year contender. Yesterday he went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Joey Votto was, of course, even better, going 3-for-4 with a walk. Watching Votto is kind of like watching the space shuttle take off: you know what’s going to happen, but you still can’t tear your eyes away, it seems so unbelievable.

But neither of those guys actually brought in the runs. Yesterday, that job was done by Valdez and Brandon Phillips. Apparently playing center field agrees with Valdez; either that or he’s a super-late bloomer–a sort of offensive sleeper cell. Whatever the case, I’m sure not complaining, since you know Dusty Baker’s personal OCD is that the center-fielder must bat second after the shortstop, no matter how he hits.

The win brings the Reds’ game record to 38-27 and their series record to 13-7-2. Tonight they head into Cleveland to continue the Battle for Ohio with the Indians. Mat Latos (5-2, 4.64 ERA) takes on Derek Lowe (7-4, 3.78 ERA). Whether there are fireworks after the game I don’t know, but there’s bound to be some during. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Boxscore

The Reds extended their winning streak to 5 games last night by beating the Mets 4-1.

Homer Bailey put in an excellent start for the Reds, allowing 1 run (earned) on 6 hits and a walk through 8.0 innings of work, and he only threw 103 pitches to do it. Aroldis Chapman finished the game out in the fashion we’d become so accustomed to before: hitless and struck out one.

No one had more than 1 hit in the game, but Jay Bruce was the offensive hero last night, with the 3-run home run in the first inning to log 75% of the Reds’ score. Ryan Ludwick brought in the other run in the fourth when he singled in Bruce who had been hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.

The Reds look for the sweep and to continue the streak today at 1:10 p.m. Johnny Cueto (7-3, 2.46 ERA) goes against Chris Young (1-0, 3.38 ERA).

Boxscore

Lest you think that sweep of the Indians was a fluke, the Reds extended their winning streak to 4 games last night by beating the Mets 7-3.

Bronson Arroyo started for the Reds and put in 6.0+ innings of work. He allowed the Mets’ 3 runs (earned) on 4 hits and 2 walks. Among those hits were his 12th and 13th home runs allowed of the year.

Jose Arredondo, Sean Marshall, and Aroldis Chapman each put in a hit-less inning to finish out the game. It’s nice to see Marshall getting promoted to whole innings from the LOOGY role that Baker was using him in so much. He’s a better pitcher than that.

The offense last night came from…Wilson Valdez?? He went 2-for-5 with 3 RBI on the night. That brings him up to a .226 AVG. Yeah buddy! The other two RBI came from a 2-run homer from Brandon Phillips and a solo shot from Jay Bruce.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 36-27, 4.0 games in first in the NLC. The Reds continue the series tonight at 7:15 p.m. Homer Bailey (4-4, 4.35 ERA) takes on Jon Niese (4-2, 3.69 ERA).

Boxscore

The Reds got out their brooms for yesterday’s game against the Indians and swept that sucker, 5-12.

Mike Leake took the mound for the Reds. He was pitching on long rest, necessitated by the flu-like symptoms that he caught from half the other guys in the clubhouse. It wasn’t a stellar performance. In 4.1 innings pitched he allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks. Two of those hits were home runs to Shin-Soo Choo.

The bullpen was relatively well-rested and put in a good showing. Jose Arredondo finished off the fifth inning without giving up a hit and got the win for his efforts.

Alfredo Simon gave up the other 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk while he pitched the sixth and seventh. I bet it’s not too hard to give up a couple when you’re working with a 9 run lead. That might make it a little harder to keep your intensity up.

J.J. Hoover and Sam LeCure put in a scoreless inning apiece, and that was all she wrote for the Indians.

There was plenty of good to go around on the offensive side, and nine different guys contributed to the team’s 17 hits. Zack Cozart, Brandon Phillips, and Ryan Ludwick each went 3-for-5 on the night. Wilson Valdez went 0-fer in his pinch-hitting appearance.

Joey Votto, Phillips, and Ludwick each had home runs. Votto’s was his only hit of the night (along with 2 walks) but it was a 3-run shot in the bottom of the first that gave the Reds the lead that they never gave back. I was watching the game on TV, and frankly, it was almost a little boring. But a good kind of boring.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 35-27. They head out east to visit the Mets tonight. Bronson Arroyo (2-4, 3.79 ERA) takes on Dillon Gee (4-4, 4.42 ERA) at 7:10 p.m.

Boxscore

The Reds ensured the series win last night by beating the Indians 3-5.

Mat Latos pitched on short rest to fill in for the sicky-poo Mike Leake. In 7.0 innings, Latos allowed 2 runs (earned) on 7 hits and a walk. I wouldn’t mind seeing that every time out.

Sean Marshall took over in the eighth and didn’t allow a hit. The guy who usurped him in the closer role, Aroldis Chapman, took over in the ninth and did allow a hit: a home run. Fortunately for Chapman, one home run was all they got, and that wasn’t enough to blow the save. It does, however, start a streak of three straight appearances where Chapman has allowed earned runs.

It was pretty much smooth sailing on the offensive front. Brandon Phillips assumed his usual Cleveland killer role and went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. I wonder what the Phillips trade looks like from the Indians’ point of view.

Meanwhile, Joey Votto assumed his usual everyone killer role and went 2-for-3 with a walk. Chris “Hi-C” Heisey and Ryan Hannigan also had hits. Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick provided the other two RBI. Wilson Valdez went 0-fer.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 34-27 and extends their lead over the second-place Pirates to 2.0 games. They go for the series sweep this afternoon at 12:35 p.m. when Mike Leake (2-5, 4.97 ERA) takes on Josh Tomlin (3-3, 4.96 ERA).