Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Reds (87-59)	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	0	4	8	2
Marlins (65-81)	3	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	-	6	10	2

Boxscore

Perhaps it’s the 4 pints of beer talking, but the Cincinnati Reds are playing like I feel when I watch them: I’ve already entered the play-off tickets sweepstakes, let’s get the season over with already.

The Reds lost the series to the Florida Miami Marlins today when Johnny Cueto had another crappy start. When Cueto doesn’t win the Cy Young award, look back to this start as the the reason. Cueto didn’t make it out of the 5th inning, allowing 6 runs on 9 hits, 2 walks, and only 2 strikeouts.

The Reds’ offense was more up to the task than the day before when they were shutout, but they still managed only 4 runs, half of which were provided by a 2-run home run from Ryan Ludwick. The others were driven in by Wilson Valdez and Scott Rolen. Joey Votto scored one of those, of course.

The Reds’ magic number is currently at 7 and the St. Louis Cardinals are winning as I write this. It’s unlikely the number will go down tonight.

But I hope it does soon. And that Cueto gets past his September dead-arm phase. The playoffs are coming, and the Reds need to be ready.

I am.

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

Boxscore

Just when everyone was starting to really worry, the Reds swept the Pirates, finishing them off last night.

Homer Bailey took the ball for the Reds and had a very, very nice outing. In 7.0 innings, he allowed just 1 run (earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks. You get the feeling this guy wants to make the play-off roster or something.

Sam LeCure pitched a perfect eighth inning before J.J. Hoover took over in the ninth. Hoover allowed a baserunner with 2 outs in the inning, but it didn’t go any further than that.

The first Reds run scored in the third inning when Ryan Hanigan and Brandon Phillips each singled and then advanced on a wild pitch. Wilson Valdez then grounded out, but it was enough to bring in Hanigan.

The Reds’ winning run came in the sixth when Scott Rolen sacrificed in Ryan Ludwick. All the scoring on productive outs. That’s weird. But it does make a little more sense when you consider who’s credited with the RBI in this game.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 87-57. They lead the NLC by 11.5 and the magic number is 8. There are fewer than 20 regular season games, which makes me kind of sad, but they’re stretching it out by taking today off.

Tomorrow they’ll resume play in steamy Miami. Bronson Arroyo (RHP, 12-7, 3.66 ERA) will face off against Jacob Turner (RHP, 0-2, 5.29 ERA). First pitch at 7:10 p.m.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pirates	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	11	1
Reds	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	-	5	9	0

Boxscore

The Pirates scored first in last night’s game, in the top of the first. That was the last time the Pirates would lead in the game, as the Reds tied it up in the bottom of the first, took a commanding lead in the second, and tacked on an insurance run in the eighth.

Mike Leake started for the Reds and he was good. He pitched 7.0 innings, allowing 3 runs (earned) on 9 hits and a walk. Well, actually, he allowed 3 runs on 2 home runs. That’s the risk you run in Great American Ball Park.

Logan Ondrusek got one guy out in the eighth, and then Sean Marshall finished it off. Jonathan Broxton took on the ninth with Aroldis Chapman resting his fatigued shoulder that had him pitching so uncharacteristically badly earlier this week. None of those guys earned a run, as is becoming expected of our bullpen.

It was so much more fun to see the Reds’ offense actually participating in the game for a change. Brandon Phillips not only hit the solo shot in the first to match the Pirates’ score, but he also hit in the team’s second run in the second. He went 2-for-4 on the night with 2 runs scored.

Scott Rolen got the Reds’ other RBI with his solo shot in the eighth inning. The other two runs scored in the second on a wild pitch and a throwing error. MLB isn’t letting me embed this particular video, but you can see the video of the wild pitch and throwing error on MLB.com.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 86-57 and the magic number to 10. They go for the sweep of the Pirates tonight. Homer Bailey (RHP, 10-9, 4.03 ERA) takes on A.J. Burnett (RHP, 15-6, 3.68 ERA) at 7:10 p.m.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	R	H	E
Pirates (72-68)	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	9	0
Reds (85-57)	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	8	0

Boxscore

That was a very, very long game.

In a game that took 5 hours and 22 minutes to play, the Cincinnati Reds finally came away with a win after a grueling 14-inning affair.

The Reds had plenty of chances to win the game, but it took until the bottom of the 14th. Devin Mesoraco lead off the inning with a screaming line drive that my tired eyes were hoping would just clear the wall. It didn’t, but it put the winning run on with no outs. Brandon Phillips reached next when he hit a ball that the catcher fielded. The catcher attempted to throw Mesoraco out at 2nd, but the throw was late. With 2 on and no outs, Chris Heisey showed bunt for the first two pitches before lining out to left field.

That brought Joey Votto to the plate. It would’ve been a nice storybook ending for him to have the walk-off hit on his birthday, but it was after midnight: his birthday was in the past. He struck out on a foul tip. Ryan Ludwick came to the plate next, and after a wild pitch that advanced both runners, he singled the winning run in on a ground ball that the shortstop couldn’t handle. The Reds players and fans could go to sleep, tired but happy.

The game wasn’t without drama. Brandon Phillips was hit by a pitch in the 8th inning. When he tossed the ball back to pitcher Jared Hughes, Hughes shouted something at Phillips and the umpires quickly intervened. Then after the game, Phillips tweeted this.

#RealTalk… Not really surprised by what I heard come outta another player’s mouth tonite but DAMN… Still PISSED bout that $h¡+!! #Racism

— Brandon Phillips (@DatDudeBP) September 11, 2012

If Phillips’ charges of something racist being said are true–and I think that would be easy enough to prove with all the recording equipment on the field–then something should be done. There’s no place for that.

Following that, Aroldis Chapman began pitching the top of the 10th. Like his last appearance, his velocity was way down and he had less control. In his 2/3 of an inning, he struck out 1, but walked 3 before being removed for Sam LeCure. One bad outing isn’t a big deal. But two in a row becomes a trend, and that dip in velocity is especially troubling.

Overall, it was an ugly game that saw both teams leave 13 men on base. But the Reds won and their magic number has dropped to 12, thanks to a St. Louis Cardinals loss.

Mike Leake will try to eat some innings for the tired bullpen tonight when he starts against Kevin Correia. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm EDT.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Astros	1	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	5	12	0
Reds	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	0

Boxscore

The Reds finished off the series with the Astros last night by losing by the same score they won by on Saturday. That loss made for another losing series for the Reds and minor slippage to 8.5 games in the lead of the NLC.

It was Johnny Cueto on the mound, and he had a stinker of an outing. He worked 4.0 innings, during which he allowed 4 runs on 9 hits and a walk. Blerg. That’s the second time in a row he’s had a poor outing. What’s up with this guy?

On the bright side, young Tony Cingrani performed well in long relief. He bailed Cueto out for the next 3.0 innings. He did allow 1 run on 1 hit, but he also struck out 5. Fans who suffered through this game got pizza and ice cream! Yay!

Logan Ondrusek and Jose Arredondo finished the game off with a 1-hit, 0-run inning apiece. That’s pretty much what we expect from those guys these days.

The Reds’ 1 RBI belongs to–whom else–Jay Bruce, who hit a triple in the bottom of the fourth to bring in–who else would be on base–Joey Votto. Bruce and Votto were the only ones to get on base more than once yesterday. The only surprise here is that Dusty Baker actually let 2 lefties hit next to each other in the line-up. That’s a sadly comment sentiment for these game wraps lately.

The loss brings the Reds’ record to 84-57. Obviously the losing didn’t matter in the scheme of things, but it was still no fun to watch. Tonight the Reds open a series against a foe they might find more worthy of rising to: the Pirates. Mat Latos (RHP, 12-4, 3.69 ERA) will try his hand against the infamous Wandy Rodriguez (LHP, 3-4, 3.50 ERA). First pitch at 7:10 p.m.