The Return of the Big Red.......

[Lual]

@ Apr - my resolution is 1152x8 something - so i can see them all, bar the last pitcher. so i take 2 shots, and cut and paste into 1

@ mroctober / tribetime - Tampa have stuck there all year somehow. Its been bugging me tbh lol. Bless 'em. But of late, the Yankees have been on fire and cut the gap by 4 or 5 games.

@ fastflink i doubt it tbh, as ive not played any minor games, i feel it would be unfair for me to step in and 'ruin' their chances of success - i think both Chattanooga and Sarasota are locks to make the playoffs, with Sarasota in with a shout of winning.

Cheers for checking in lads :wtg:

[Lual]

Game 2: Cincinnati Reds (58-77) @ Atlanta Braves (58-77)

3 Hit Reds!

Above: Robertson does his best to keep the Braves in touch, Right: A 3 hit performance does not go down well on the bench!

Game 2 in Atlanta, and the Reds long road trip appears to be taking its toll on the players. Smoltz was on the mound for the Braves as he helped the hosts, 3 hit the Reds to earn a 5-0 win.

There was nothing Cincinnati could do right, as only 3 players recorded a hit, and 5 in total got on base. Atlanta cruised to victory off the back of 3 jacks which accounted for all 5 runs. Marcus Giles homered twice, driving in 4 runs, while Chipper Jones added a solo shot in the 6th to wrap things off.

One more game for the Reds, before they return home for a NL Central clash with the Brewers.

Reds Talk:

Robertson: "The loss hurts, but i have to take the plus, that i got through 8 tough innings and came out without too much of a beating"

Miley: "Below par performance again from us. There needs to be a bit more fire in the bellies, so we dont just tail off"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

.....

Pitching:

Robertson - 8I 10H 5R 4ER 1BB 1K 3HR 3.99ERA L(4-

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   0   3   1


ATL   5  10   0

[Lual]

Game 3: Cincinnati Reds (58-78) @ Atlanta Braves (59-77)

Braves Finish With A Bang!

Above: Pena and Encarnacion go yard for the Reds, it was the latters 1st homer in his Reds career!

The Braves secured the 3 game sweep of the Reds thanks to a 10-5 win, as they rode a 7 run 3rd inning to victory.

Milton who had looked in good shape after 2 innings, soon found himself on the wrong end of a beating. The 3rd inning included 2 solo homers and a Grand Slam from Andruw Jones, as the Braves took the Reds scalp.

Consolation for the Reds came in the form of 2 homers, 1 more notable due to the fact it was Edwin Encarnacion's 1st homer in the Majors, but it proved fruitless in the Reds effort to overhaul the defecit.

Theres alot of work to be done by the Reds Organisation if they are to turn things around for next season, alot will depend on who (if any) stars they sign in Free Agency.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "We will be glad to get back to Cincinnati. Its been a long couple of weeks, and the players have given their all for me"

Encarnacion: "Its nice to get over the hurdle, but as a team these individual notables count for very little in a loss"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 2/4

Pena - 1/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Encarnacion - 1/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Griffey - 1RBI

Pitching:

Milton - 6.2I 12H 9R 9ER 1BB 0K 3HR 5.10ERA L(14-11)

Majewski - 1.1I 1H 1R 1ER OBB 1K 1HR 7.40ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   5   9   0


ATL  10  13   0

[Lual]

Upcoming Series - 3 Games Home vs Milwaukee Brewers

Game 1: Milwaukee Brewers (70-67) @ Cincinnati Reds (58-79)

Brew Crew Come Through!

Above: Touch Em All, Junior knows that feeling, Right: Lost Em All, Miley knows that feeling!

Back home, but the same old story for the Reds, as they slump to a 4th straight loss as the Brewers come away with a tight 6-4 win after resisting a late Reds rally.

Evert lost the game in 4 innings, as he gave up 6 runs off 11 hits, leaving the Reds chasing their tails from the off. Fortunately Griffey hit a 2 run shot in the 5th to start a fight back. 2 more runs came in the 7th, as it looked as if the home crowd would inspire a turnaround for their team.

Alas nothing came off the last 6 batters for the Reds, as they fell 2 runs short, being outhit 15-8 in the tie.

The lack of real consistent starters is the major concern for the Reds, as the young guns of Evert, Blackley and Robertson are yet to prove their value in the Major Leagues.

Reds Talk:

Evert: "I came here to pitch in the Majors, but outings like this will end my career before its begun"

Miley: "Pitching has been a real issue for us all year. Whethers its injuries, lost form or just bad attitudes, this team needs to re-focus as a unit"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Griffey - 1/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Casey - 3/4

LaRue - 2/4, 1RBI, 1 Double

Encarnacion - 1RBI

Pitching:

Evert - 4I 11H 6R 6ER 1BB 2K 0HR 5.68ERA L(2-2)

Dominguez - 3I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 4.21ERA

Brazoban - 2I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.88ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


MIL   6  15   1


CIN   4   8   0

[Lual]

Game 2: Milwaukee Brewers (71-67) @ Cincinnati Reds (58-80)

'Jacks Not Enough!

Above: Dunn celebrates number 36, Right: Griffey sensed a comeback, but it wasnt to be!

An exciting matchup went the way of the Brewers, as they pip the Reds 10-9 in a 29 hit festival.

It was the Reds who got the ball rolling with a Pena 3 run shot in the 1st inning, forcing the Brewers to take note. It wasnt long until it was the Reds who needed to do the chasing, as they slipped to a 5-3 margin, thanks in main to Carlos Lee driving in 3 runs.

The game was then became a cat and mouse affair, as the Brewers always maintained just enough of a lead to hold back the chasing Reds. The Reds even went yard 4 times, and forced the game to a tense finale with a 3 run 8th to tighten the match a 10-9.

That was to be that, as even though the Reds got a man on base in the 9th, the Brewers closed things out, and ensured they would at least come away from Cincinnati with 2 wins.

Reds Talk:

O'Brien (GM): "There may be a few shocks, and definately a few people unhappy when we offer new contracts, or not as the case may be"

Dunn: "We hit 4 bombs and still lose, somethings not right somewhere in this team"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 4/5, 1 Double

Freel - 2/5

Pena - 1/5, 1HR, 3RBI

Dunn - 2/3, 1HR, 1RBI

Casey - 2/4, 1HR, 2RBI, 1 Double

Logan - 1/1, 1HR, 2RBI

Encarnacion - 1RBI

Pitching:

Claussen - 7I 12H 8R 7ER 1BB 2K 2HR 3.90ERA L(9-6)

Yan - 1I 3H 2R 2ER 0BB 0K 0HR 3.68ERA

Urbina - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.52ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


MIL  10  16   2


CIN   9  13   2

[go_bucs2000]

one run darnit i do not like the brewers at all grrrrrrr well at least you had a producitive day at the plate and the others games were heartbreakers too

[Lual]

Game 3: Milwaukee Brewers (72-67) @ Cincinnati Reds (58-81)

Milwaukee Sweepers!

Above: Griffey still giving 100%, Right: Mileys pointing the finger, but at who?!

The Brewers inflicted the Reds 6th straight loss, as they clinched a series sweep in Cincinnati with a 7-4 win after yet another hitfest at the GABP.

All bar 1 of the runs where generated by small ball, as the big hitters shyed away today, leaving the tacticians to mastermind the runs with bloops, stolen bags and sac hits.

Pitching again proved to be the Reds achilles heel, as Blackley was smacked all around the park, giving up 13 hits and 5 runs. He now holds a unsightly 1-5 (W/L) record with a 5.30ERA.

Encarnacion again proved he is a more than capable replacement at 3rd for Joe Randa, while Freel carried on his impressive form with another 3/4 game.

Pittsburgh at next up at GABP, possibly the Reds last chance of overhauling them in the race to save face!

Reds Talk:

Miley: "The Pirates series will now be clutch for us. We are staring at the doldrums of the MLB, and its not a nice feeling"

Freel: "Id like to think my future is in Cincinnati, but there needs to be an agreement on both sides of the table"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 3/4

Pena - 2/5

Dunn - 3/5, 1 Double

Encarnacion - 3/5, 1RBI, 1 Triple, 1 Double

LaRue, Logan & Error - 1RBI

Pitching:

Blackley - 6I 13H 5R 5ER 0BB 1K 1HR 5.30ERA L(1-5)

Mercker - 1I 3H 2R 1ER 0BB 1K 0HR 5.10ERA

Dominguez - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 4.14ERA

Nelson - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 0.00ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


MIL   7  16   2


CIN   4  14   1

[Lual]

Decision Time Looms!

Above: Ryan Freel and Felipe Lopez, just 2 of the Reds with uncertain futures.

With the Off-Season fast approaching, and the lack of a Playoff interest in Cincinnati, the headlines have been filled with 'Whose Staying and Whose Going? As the Reds prepare for one of their most important periods in years.

Many players in the Cincinnati Organisation are facing the reality of the upcoming contract negotiations, but where will the Reds focus be? Most are predicting a trimming of their positional player outlay, so there can be more investment in their Pitching Staff. Should this become the reality, the following players could face the harsh prospect of finding a new club in the summer:

C - Jason LaRue:

This 31 year old has performed pretty well for the Reds, but his numbers are not what the Reds need or expect from their Catcher. With Jason asking for around $3,000,000 for 2 years, it is questionable whether the Reds will commit to him, or take a chance on Josh Willingham.

Compare the Numbers:

			  AVG  HR  RBI


LaRue		.287  1   29


Willingham   .287  1   16

SS - Felipe Lopez: Felipe has the potential of becoming one of the brightest Shortstops in the game. The question is, 'Can the Reds afford to wait for Felipe to come good?' Theres no denying that defensively, Lopez is maturing very quickly. His main problem is his lack of real production at the plate. The Reds will have a tough decision as to resigning Lopez, as he is asking for around $2,000,000 for at least 2 years. If Felipe does leave the Reds, his replacement is likely to be Rich Aurilia, as the Reds can keep him at a low cost, whilst calling up Ray Olmedo from AA Chattanooga to act as backup. Compare the Numbers:

			 AVG  HR  RBI


Lopez	   .248  2   37


Aurilia	 .293  0	7


Olmedo (AA) .326  12  54

2B - Ryan Freel This is potentially the easier decision for the Reds, as Freel has become a real standout player for the team since taking over from D'Angelo Jimenez at 2nd. However, since Freels rise to stardom, his price has dramatically increased too. Currently earning a low $300,000, Ryan is reportedly looking to claim over $2,500,000 in a long term 4 year deal. The Reds are likely to offer Freel what he wants, but with Jimenez potentially taking a cut to around $2,000,000 for a year, the Reds may want to save a little to go towards their Pitching Staff. Compare the Numbers:

			  AVG  HR  RBI


Freel		.346  0   29  (42SB)


Jimenez	  .243  2   20

The will be no shortage of drama as the Reds enter the Off-Season, and only time will tell whether this team will be tore apart or kept together. One thing for certain, is that the Reds will make some changes and hope that it will have the desired effect.

[go_bucs2000]

what will lual do with the players :chin: we will have to find out

[cubsfaninfla]

@ fastflink i doubt it tbh, as ive not played any minor games, i feel it would be unfair for me to step in and 'ruin' their chances of success - i think both Chattanooga and Sarasota are locks to make the playoffs, with Sarasota in with a shout of winning.

Go Sarasota!!

:yeah: :cheer:

[Lual]

Upcoming Series - 3 Games Home vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Game 1: Pittsburgh Pirates (62-78) @ Cincinnati Reds (58-82)

Reds Winless In 7!

Above: Pena makes a crucial error. Right: Robertson has a tough day on the mound, hitting 6 batters!!

7th straight defeats for the Reds, as the Pirates come to Cincinnati, take a 7-1 lead and barely hand on, as the Reds rallied 5 runs in the 9th.

Pittsburgh blasted ahead, thanks to a 6 run 6th inning, which included 2 homers, from Redman and Hill. And with Perez on the mound for the Pirates, there seemed to be no way back for the Reds.

Thats until the 9th inning, when Mesa came in to loosen his arm for an inning. This proved to be a bad call, as the Reds put 5 runs on the board, including a 3 run dinger from Jimenez which put the game on a tightrope at 7-6.

The Pirates managed to get out of the jam, and send the Reds to another loss, as Casey blooped out to 3rd. Robertsons day on the mound was a dour effort, he gave up 5 runs, but more incredibly he hit 6 batters and has slipped to a 4-9 (W/L) record.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Our worst slump of the year, its turning into a nightmare month, when things really should be getting better"

Jimenez: "Ill fight for my right to play in a Reds Uni', dont write me off yet"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 3/4, 2RBI

Pena - 2/4, 1RBI, 1 Double

Jimenez - 2/2, 1HR, 3RBI

Pitching:

Robertson - 5.1I 5H 5R 5ER 1BB 2K 1HR 4.24ERA L(4-9)

Brazoban - 0.2I 4H 2R 2ER 0BB 0K 1HR 4.09ERA

Majewski - 3I 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 2K 0HR 6.47ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


PIT   7  10   1


CIN   6  10   1

[Lual]

Game 2: Pittsburgh Pirates (63-78) @ Cincinnati Reds (58-83)

Pirates Ahoy!

Above: Pena and Griffey dont seem to be clicking, as the Reds collapse at home!

A crushing win for the Pirates, as they stormed the Cincinnati boat, and ransacked their treasure with a 20 hit, 11 run showing.

Everything the Pirates attempted, seemed to fall their way. Milton was knocked around like Mike Tyson, as he went for 15 hits and 6 runs, losing his 12th start of the year.

5 runs where added in the 9th, as Bubba Nelson came in to pitch an inning for relief. His first runs given up in the Majors, as the Pirates taught him a valuable lesson in control and concentration.

A 3rd straight sweep stares the Reds in the face, as this loss is now their 8th straight, leaving them 1-8 in September.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Respect means alot to me, unfortunately we are losing ours with every game we play"

Griffey: "September has been a dry month for me, maybe 40 is out of reach this year"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 2/4

Freel - 2/4, 1 Triple

Griffey - 1RBI

Pitching:

Milton - 8I 15H 6R 6ER 0BB 3K 3HR 5.16ERA L(14-12)

Nelson - 1I 5H 5R 5ER 0BB 1K 2HR 7.50ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


PIT  11  20   1


CIN   1   7   0

[go_bucs2000]

AHHHHH how did they do that why do my pirates insist on beating you lual!!!

[HFLR]

lual do you want to send Freel to the minors and call someone else look Freel's numbers he's bad with the bat, but good with the speed he's the NL leader in SB keep him in MLB this year

[Lual]

Game 3: Pittsburgh Pirates (64-78) @ Cincinnati Reds (58-84)

Pirates Hit Gold!

Above: Pena goes yard, his 35th of the year, Right: Discontent on the Reds bench!

The Reds have to face the embarrasment of losing 9 straight, as they slipped to a 3rd straight series loss, as the Pirates cruised to a 7-2 win stretching their advantage over the Reds to 7 games.

Without wishing to repeat ourselves, it was the starting pitching that again let the Reds down. This time Brett Evert lasted 3 innings, giving up 4 bombs as the Pirates raced out to a 6-0 lead.

A bomb by Pena, and a Sac Fly by Encarnacion pulled the Reds back to 6-2. But there wasnt to be a comeback, as the Pirates held their own, and wrapped things up 7-2.

Chicago is the next stop for the Reds, to face the Wildcard chasing Cubs.

Reds Talk:

Pena: "Its a nice little race between me Griffey and Dunn, to see who can top our team homerun list"

Dominguez: "Its nice to get a good outing for a change. Ive struggled for a while, so this mound visit will do me good"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Pena - 3/4, 1HR, 1RBI

Casey - 2/4

Encarnacion - 1RBI

Pitching:

Evert - 3I 9H 6R 6ER 0BB 2K 4HR 7.36ERA L(2-3)

Dominguez - 6I 5H 1R 1ER 1BB 8K 0HR 3.91ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


PIT   7  14   2


CIN   2   8   0

[Lual]

Upcoming Series - 3 Games @ Chicago Cubs

Game 1: Cincinnati Reds (58-85) @ Chicago Cubs (78-65)

Snapped!

Above: Freel gets his 1st bomb of the year, Right: Encarnacion drives in 2 more runs for insurance!

Brandon Claussen inspired the Reds to snap their losing streak, as they clipped the Wildcard chasing Cubs 6-2.

The Reds used 5 pitchers to avade the Cubs big hitters, and it seemed to work, as the Cubs couldnt fit into a routine of hitting. On the back of the solid pitching, the Reds put some runs together. This included Ryan Freel jacking his 1st homer of the year, and Encarnacion again driving in 2 runs in a clutch at bat.

The Bullpen accounted for 3.1IP 2H 6K as the Reds finally found consistency from their pitching staff. This win could be the spark needed for the team to avoid a 100 loss season, for the first time in their history.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "A wins a win, its about time we tasted some success again"

Claussen: "I can look back on this season with some pride, getting 10 wins is a sound acheivement"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 2/4, 1HR, 1RBI, 1 Triple

Griffey - 1/3, 1RBI, 1 Double

Encarnacion - 2RBI

Casey - 1RBI

Pitching:

Claussen - 5.2I 8H 2R 2ER OBB 3K 1HR 3.88ERA W(10-6)

Brazoban - 0.1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 4.07ERA

Mercker - 1.1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 4K 0HR 5.00ERA

Yan - 0.2I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 3.63ERA

Urbina - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.49ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   6   8   0


CHC   2  10   1

[Lual]

Game 2: Cincinnati Reds (59-85) @ Chicago Cubs (78-66)

Cubs Take Control Of Central!

Above: Willy hits the sweet spot again, Right: Willy is always hard when he plays, no wonder hes the housewifes favourite!

The Cubs rout the Reds 11-3 as they crank 5 homers in a awesome showing of power hitting to end the Reds brief revival.

This win has also given the Cubs a 0.5 game lead in the NL Central race, as they overtake the slumping Cardinals, to setup an exciting end to the campaign.

Pitching again proved to be the downfall of the Reds, as Blackley lost his 6th start of the year, in comparison Mark Prior made sure he controlled the men who got on base, showing his experience as a Major League Pitcher.

The series now heads into a rubber match with the Cubs needing every win they can get in their chase for the Pennant.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Aaron will be back to pitch tomorrow, we have made arrangements to bring him back into the roster in time"

Blackley: "It seems as if my time in the Majors is done for now. Next time im playing here, ill be better and more adapt to cope"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 2/5

Griffey - 2/4, 1RBI, 1 Double

Pena - 3/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Casey - 2/4

LaRue - 2/4

Pitching:

Blackley - 5I 8H 5R 5ER 0BB 0K 3HR 5.62ERA L(1-6)

Majewski - 1.1I 5H 5R 5ER 0BB 1K 2HR 7.92ERA

Nelson - 1.2I 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K 0HR 7.04ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   3  12   0


CHC  11  15   0

[Lual]

Roster News:

The Reds make some adjustments to their pitching staff, following the return from the DL of Aaron Harang.

His return has signalled the assignment of RP Bubba Nelson back to AAA Louisville, whilst SP Travis Blackley will be moved into the Reds Bullpen.

Alongside this, the Reds have decided to run with a 4 man rotation for the final few weeks, this will see SP Brett Evert also moved into the Bullpen for LRP.

4-Man Starting Rotation:

Eric Milton

Brandon Claussen

Aaron Harang

Jeriome Robertson

Game 3: Cincinnati Reds (59-86) @ Chicago Cubs (79-66)

Reds Woes Go On!

Above: Griffey gets back on track with a 400 yarder, Right: LaRue cant quite make it home, as the Reds scramble for runs!

Chicago now have a 1.5 game lead in the NL Central, after another convincing win, as they brushed aside the Reds with a 9-1 scoreline.

The Reds had taken the lead with a Griffey solo shot in the 1st, thats where the good news ended though, as the Cubs put 9 unanswered runs on the board, including a Lee Grand Slam in the 6th inning.

Aaron Harang came back to pitch for the Reds after his layoff with a fractured toe, but he soon found life was even harder on the mound, as he gave up 13 hits and 8 runs in 6IP.

This loss will hurt the Reds hopes of moving out of the cellar, and is likely to condemn them to one of the worst records in baseball this season.

Reds Talk:

LaRue: "My future is still very uncertain at the moment. I know what i want, but who knows if the Reds are prepared to match my needs"

Harang: "Not the ideal comeback, but its good to be playing again"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Griffey - 2/4, 1HR, 1RBI, 1 Double

LaRue - 2/3, 1 Double

Pitching:

Harang - 6I 13H 8R 8ER 1BB 2K 3HR 3.13ERA L(7-5)

Mercker - 2I 3H 1R 1ER 0BB 4K 0HR 4.98ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   1   8   1


CHC   9  16   0

[Lual]

Upcoming Series - 3 Games @ Pittsburgh Pirates

Game 1: Cincinnati Reds (59-87) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (67-79)

Reds Restore Pride!

Above: Lopez dives for 3rd, but is able to make home on an error, Right: Urbina now has 10 Saves on the year!

The Reds travelled to Pittsburgh to try and save some face by beating the Pirates at PNC Park, to exact revenge on the sweep earlier in the month.

This game did fall the way of the Reds, but it was a hard earned win, with Pinch Hitters accounting for 2 key runs down the stretch. Alongside this, was a 5 man pitching effort, as the Reds had to dig deep to try and keep on top of the Pirates hitters.

Encarnacion and Willingham where big performers today, as both went 3/4, as the Reds put on a 4 run 8th inning, to overturn a 3-2 defecit, to clinch a 6-3 win.

3 more wins and the Reds can avoid the embarrasment of a 100 loss season, can they do it?

Reds Talk:

Urbina: "Lets hope i get some more time on the mound in close situations"

Willingham: "If im not the starting Catcher next year, then maybe the team should move me on, as i wont be happy with a role on the bench"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 2/4

Encarnacion - 3/4, 1 Double

Willingham - 3/4, 1RBI

Freel - 2RBI

Jimenez & Logan - 1RBI

Pitching:

Robertson - 3I 3H 1R 1ER 1BB 1K OHR 4.11ERA

Dominguez - 2I 5H 2R 2ER 1BB 0K 0HR 4.06ERA

Brazoban - 2I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 3.96ERA W(5-3)

Majewski - 1I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 7.62ERA

Urbina - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.46ERA (Save 10)

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   6  11   1


PIT   3  12   1

[Lual]

Game 2: Cincinnati Reds (60-87) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (67-80)

2Peat!

Above: LaRue and Pena hit bombs as the Reds snatch victory!

Pittsburgh blew a 4-0 lead, to lose 9-6 to the fighting Reds, as Cincinnati found their bats in a 16 hit performance.

LaRue and Pena where the heros, as they both hit dingers in the 8th and 9th innings respectively to help force the Reds into the lead, late in the game.

Milton also enjoyed a nice milestone, as he won his 15th game of the year, lasting 6.2IP and getting 4Ks in a decent if not dominating outing.

Yan nearly blew the game, as he gave up 2 runs in the 8th as well as leaving the bases juiced, before a tight double play ended the inning. Urbina then came in to get his 11th save in consecutive nights.

The sweep is on! Can the Reds exact their revenge??

Reds Talk:

O'Brien (GM): "There is bound to be some tension around the clubhouse, but all the players know, they have to perform to earn a place on the new look Reds"

LaRue: "I like Josh, but hes becoming a bit too vocal, and needs to know that it takes time and talent to become a everyday Big League Catcher"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Aurilia - 2/5

Freel - 2/5

Pena - 1/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Casey - 3/4, 2RBI, 2 Double

Encarnacion - 2/4, 2RBI

LaRue - 3/4, 1HR, 1RBI, 1 Double

Logan - 1RBI

Pitching:

Milton - 6.2I 10H 4R 4ER 1BB 4K 1HR 5.17ERA W(15-12)

Mercker - 0.1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 4.96ERA

Yan - 1I 2H 2R 2ER 2BB 0K 0HR 3.94ERA

Urbina - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.44ERA (Save 11)

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   9  16   0


PIT   6  13   3

[Lual]

Current MLB Standings:

No one has clinched their Divisional Title, whilst the Minnesota Twins head the AL Wildcard Race, and the New York Mets top the NL Wildcard Race.

[Lual]

Game 3: Cincinnati Reds (61-87) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (67-81)

'Jacks The Way To Do It!

Above: Casey hits 2 bombs, and LaRue another as they account for all the Reds runs!

The sweep was completed as the Reds overpowered and outhit the Pirates in a 6-1 win.

Claussen started like a dream on the mound, as he retired 16 straight batters, before giving up a walk to end his run at a perfect game. His performance was still top notch, and gave the Reds something to build on.

And build on they did, as Casey hit 2 bombs, and LaRue another, as the Reds took a 6-0 lead in the 6th. Overall the Reds batters had a productive day, including Dunn who went 4/5, turning around his slump off recent weeks.

The Reds will now go back home to finish up their campaign at the GABP, with 2 series' totalling 6 games. First up, the playoff chasing St. Louis Cardinals.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Its a nice way to finish the series. We have 6 games left at GABP, lets hope we can give the fans something to cheer"

Casey: "Ive lacked consistency with my ABs and this has weakened the team in a key area"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 2/5

Griffey - 2/5

Dunn - 4/5, 1 Double

Casey - 3/5, 2HR, 4RBI

LaRue - 2/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Pitching:

Claussen - 6.1I 3H 1R 1ER 1BB 4K 0HR 3.79ERA W(11-6)

Brazoban - 1.2I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 3.87ERA

Yan - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.86ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   6  16   0


PIT   1   5   3

[Lual]

Upcoming Series - 3 Games Home vs St. Louis Cardinals

Game 1: St. Louis Cardinals (81-70) @ Cincinnati Reds (62-87)

Cards Play Wrong Hand!

Above: Freel bangs a homerun, as he drives in 5RBIs. Right: Harang goes 8 strong, to earn his 8th win!

A ding dong battle at the GABP finally went the way of the Reds, after they had blown a 4-0 lead, to trail 5-4 in the 8th inning.

The Reds had strode into a 4 run lead, thanks to a Freel 3 run jack in the 4th, giving the Reds pitchers something to defend.

The 6th inning proved to be a turning point, as the Cards loaded the bases and had Walker to thank, for tying the game with a Grand Slam. The Cards then took the lead in the 8th, as Hart hit a solo shot, leaving the Reds gobsmacked.

Thankfully, Freel again came through, as he drove in 2 runs via a double, added to by a crazy overthrow allowing another run to give the Reds a 7-5 lead to defend in the 9th.

Urbina struck out 2 hitters to keep the 9th inning clean, and give the Reds their 4th straight win, their 63rd this year.

Reds Talk:

Freel: "Lets hope i can carry this power into next season. I need to put alot more runs on the board, to prove my worth"

Harang: "I thought i had blown the game, but the team pulled through to dig out a win"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 2/5

Freel - 4/5, 1HR, 5RBI, 1 Double

Casey - 3/4

Griffey - 1RBI

Pitching:

Harang - 8I 7H 5R 5ER 1BB 3K 2HR 3.30ERA W(8-5)

Urbina - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2K 0HR 2.41ERA (Save 12)

Box:


	  R   H   E


STL   5   7   2


CIN   7  13   0

[Lual]

Game 2: St. Louis Cardinals (81-71) @ Cincinnati Reds (63-87)

Reds Go Nap!

Above: Dunn hits a 3 run bomb, and Right: Pena's doubles in 2 more runs!

Cincinnati stretch their winning streak to 5, as they shutout the big hitting Cardinals with an impressive 8-0 win.

Robertson pitched like a veteran as he gave up just 4 hits in 7IP, and Yan added to Jeriomes start, by going 2 more shutout innings.

Offensively the Reds put on good numbers, as Dunn hit a 3 run bomb to kick things off in the 1st. Penas double, and RBIs from Griffey, LaRue and Casey ensured that the Reds wrapped things up 8-0.

The Cardinals will now be desperate to snatch the final game of the series, as their playoff dreams are starting to slip away.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "That felt good, i bet Tony is p*ssed with his players"

Robertson: "Thats where i need to be for every start. The Cards are big hitters, so shutting them out is something to be proud of"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 3/5

Freel - 2/4

Pena - 2/4, 2RBI, 1 Double

Dunn - 2/4, 1HR, 3RBI

Encarnacion - 2/4

Griffey, Casey & LaRue - 1RBI

Pitching:

Robertson - 7I 4H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.83 W(5-9)

Yan - 2I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.70ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


STL   0   6   3


CIN   8  13   0

[Lual]

Game 3: St. Louis Cardinals (81-72) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-87)

You Win? No After You!

Above: Griffey and Lopez hit jacks in a see-saw encounter to end the series!

How to sum up the game, well the list of scoring may enlighten you as how this game came about:

1st: 2-0 Cardinals

2nd: 2-2

3rd: 2-5 Cardinals

3rd: 3-5 Cardinals

4th: 5-5

5th: 5-6 Cardinals

5th: 6-6

6th: 6-7 Cardinals

6th: 7-7

8th: 7-8 Cardinals

9th: 7-9 Cardinals

This ding dong battle saw the Cardinals lead, lose the lead, lead and lose the lead again, as the Reds never gave up and forced the Cards to earn the win.

Milton was disappointing on the mound, giving up 16 hits and 7 runs in his 6IP. Though Mercker was credited with the loss, as Edmonds homered in the 8th.

The Reds bats stayed active, and given a bit of luck, the sweep could well of been sealed.

Philadelphia are next in Cincinnati, as the Reds end their home games for the season. The Phillies are chasing the Marlins in a tight NL East race, and are also in the running for a Wildcard place.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "This time next year, i want to be winning those games. Good teams can come through close matchups with a win, thats what we need to learn"

Lopez: "The ball is in the Reds court. I have told my agent to negotiate with the Reds... i would love to stay in Cincinnati"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Lopez - 3/4, 1HR, 3RBI, 1 Double

Freel - 3/4, 1RBI, 1 Double

Encarnacion - 2/4, 1 Double

Griffey - 1/5, 1HR, 2RBI

Casey - 1/4, 1HR, 1RBI

Pitching:

Milton - 6I 16H 7R 6ER 1BB 0K 3HR 5.28ERA

Mercker - 2I 1H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K 1HR 4.94ERA L(3-7)

Urbina - 1I 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 0K 0HR 2.48ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


STL   9  19   0


CIN   7  12   1