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

[Lual]

Upcoming Series: 3 Games Home vs Atlanta Braves

Game 1: Atlanta Braves(62-49) @ Cincinnati Reds (61-50)

Crisis in Cincinnati!

Above: Things started well, with Griffey getting on base early, and Zambrano forcing an error at first to generate a run!

4 straight home defeats for the Reds, as they sink 4GB of the Cubs in the NL Central, after taking another battering this time at the hands of the Atlanta Braves.

Reds Ace' Carlos Zambrano has faltered in recent weeks, and yet again failed to produce on the mound, as he gave up 7 runs and 13 hits, taking his 7th loss of the year.

The Reds again had no answer to the onslaught, leaving them on the wrong end of a 8-3 scoreline, with Sheffield 2 and the Joneses (Andruw & Chipper) driving in all the runs via the Braves 4 homers.

At one point this team looked odds-on for the playoffs, but as it stands today, with 50 games left, the Reds are now at best 2GB of the Wildcard leading Cardinals... the heady days of April thru June are a distant memory for the loyal Reds fans.

Further injury news for the Reds, was the loss of Ryan Freel for 7 days to a strained ribcage. Freel dove headfirst for 2nd in a steal attempt, and came out second best. Not good news for the Reds as Freel is leading the league in batting average in another fine year for the 2nd baseman.

Reds Talk:

Zambrano: "Skip still believes in me, and that means alot during this rough spell. Im still working hard everyday, i want to make this team a success"

Freel: "I pulled my ribcage during the slide for second. Thats part of the game though, ill be out for a week or so, but Bobby is a great player to back me up"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Hill - 2/4, 1RBI

Dunn - 2/4

Griffey - 2/4

J.Lopez - 1RBI

Pitching:

Zambrano - 7I 13H 7R 7ER 1BB 3K 3HR 3.91ERA L(15-7)

Marte - 1I 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 0K 1HR 2.59ERA

Gardner - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 5.29ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


ATL   8  16   2


CIN   3  10   2

[Lual]

Game 2: Atlanta Braves(63-49) @ Cincinnati Reds (61-51)

Streak Stands at 5!

Above: The GABP deserves playoff baseball, but will it be fulfilled? Right: Nook Logan tries to get on base with a bunt, as the Reds offense goes shy!

Another game, another loss, this time the Reds put up more of a fight but still fell to the same outcome as a solo homer by Andruw Jones in the 6th was all she wrote in a 1-0 Braves win.

The Reds barely mustered any base runners, gaining just 2 hits all day as the offense went into hiding just as the pitching put up a fight. Claussen was unlucky to take the loss after he pitched a solid 7, but he fell short on a pitch high to Andruw Jones, who crushed it for the game winning solo.

This homestand has proven to be a nightmare for the Reds, 5 played, 5 losses, 1 more left to salvage some pride and possibly the season in Cincinnati.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Just when our pitching performs, the offense goes shy. Although we lost the game, its something we can build on, its nice not to actually give up double digits hits and runs"

Claussen: "Everyones pulling together at the moment as we need to stay tight as a ballclub. I know the pitching staff are putting in extra shifts to make sure we are as prepared as possible for every mound visit, that shows the commitment we have to making this season a success"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

...

Pitching:

Claussen - 7I 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 4K 1HR 4.33ERA L(12-7)

Jenks - 1.1I 2H 0R 0ER 1BB 2K 0HR 18.00ERA

Brazoban - 0.2I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 2.79ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


ATL   1   6   0


CIN   0   2   2

[Lual]

Game 3: Atlanta Braves(64-49) @ Cincinnati Reds (61-52)

Reds Win, Reds Win, Reds Win!

Above: Sheffield makes an error in the outfield to let the Reds take the lead, Right: Sean Casey is back on the longball, as his solo shot wins the game for the Reds!

Finally the Reds snap their awful streak by snatching a 4-3 win over the Braves to end the homestand on a positive note.

Sean Casey unloaded a solo shot in the 7th to seal the win, as Harang picked up his 13th win with a solid 7IP, whilst Alfonseca got back into the action with his 23rd save of the year for a perfect 9th inning outing.

Atlanta had looked odds on to finish off the sweep going 2-0 in the 1st. However Gary Sheffield misjudged a flyball from Pena, to allow Willy Mo to make the trip home, quickly followed by RBIs driven in from Molina and WP Harang. The Braves couldnt find their comeback feet, and the Reds hung on to clinch a crucial win.

This win gives the Reds some impetous to take into the huge Cubs series, as at 3GB a sweep over the Cubbies will pull them back into the thick of things in the division race.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Its a weight off everyones shoulders, and couldnt of come at a better time given that we go to Chicago to face the Cubs in our next series"

Casey: "That was tough, real tough. The Braves are a top class baseball team, so we fought hard to get that win. Im just glad i could contribute and repay the faith of our fans"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Hill - 2/4

Casey - 2/3, 1HR, 1RBI

Molina & Harang - 1RBI

Pitching:

Harang - 7I 10H 3R 3ER 0BB 3K 2HR 4.04ERA W(13-5)

Marte - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.55ERA

Alfonseca - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 0.88ERA (Save 23)

Box:


	  R   H   E


ATL   3  11   1


CIN   4   9   0

[pez_dispenser21]

What have I missed it looks like your doing preaty well.

[yankeerule]

Now that's a shocker, I could've sworn that the Sox would beat the Padres. :doh:

i thought they would to. BUt hey i hate the sox.

[Lual]

What have I missed it looks like your doing preaty well.

cheers for checking in mate

at the moment im 3GB of both the Cubs and Cards in both races - 48 games left, so i need to get back into winning ways sharpish :help:

[Lual]

i thought they would to. BUt hey i hate the sox.

cheers for checking in - thats an old quote to dig out, props for reading that far back

cheers mate :wtg:

[Lual]

Reds Not So Big....

After blitzing their way to the top of the standings through the early months of the season, mny had predicted the Cincinnati Reds to romp into the playoffs with at least 100 wins and possibly a CY Young and MVP on their roster.

Things however have taken a turn for the worse in recent times, and a 18-27 record since the All-Star break, has seen the Reds slip to 3GB of both the division and wildcard leads.

This leads us to ask what has gone wrong? The most notable performance drop has been seen in the potential CY Young Award Winner Carlos Zambrano.

Zambrano once held a sterling 11-0 record for the Reds, gaining a reputation for a certain win when on the mound. However his form has slumped in dramatic fashion, Zambranos stats now sit firmly in the ranks of good not great with a 15-7(W/L) 3.91ERA 95K.

His slump has coincided with the teams pitching staff hitting a rough spot, even with trades to acquire Orlando Hernandez and Damaso Marte has not helped the Reds stop the rot on the mound. The team ERA has jumped from 2.86 in May, to 3.77 in June and now stands at 4.35 thru August 10th. This is a noticable downgrade and a real concern for the Reds management.

Offensively the Reds are still a handful for all teams in this league, Will Mo Pena stands proudly on top of the Homerun list with 39, with the team hitting 151 homers between them, and the Team BA is still a solid .284.

With 48 games to go, its still early to talk about do or die matchups, but with the Reds in Chicago for a huge 3 game series against the Cubs, anything less than 2 wins will see the Reds slip to at least 5 if not 6 games back in the division lead, leaving them with a mountain to climb down the stretch.

Series Preview:

@

2006 Matchups:

Cubs 4-9 Reds

Cubs 3-6 Reds

Cubs 0-1 Reds

Reds 0-4 Cubs

Reds 4-2 Cubs

Reds 2-7 Cubs

Probables This Series:

Game 1:

CIN - Orlando Hernandez 5-10(W/L) 4.61ERA 94K

CHC - Glendon Rusch 9-8(W/L) 4.02ERA 90K

Game 2:

CIN - Kyle Davies 2-4(W/L) 6.02ERA 22K

CHC - Kerry Wood 13-4(W/L) 3.33ERA 128K

Game 3:

CIN - Carlos Zambrano 15-7(W/L) 3.91ERA 95K

CHC - Mark Prior 9-9(W/L) 2.37ERA 143K

[Lual]

Upcoming Series: 3 Games @ Chicago Cubs

Game 1: Cincinnati Reds (62-52) @ Chicago Cubs (65-49)

Tense Opener @ Wrigley!

Above: Willy Mo' smacks number 40, to win the game, Right: Miley inspires the Reds, as he gets tossed after aruging a bad call!

Game 1 of the series and it couldnt of been tenser. Both teams pitched well and fought for every out, as the Reds managed to squeeze out a 2-1 win after 10 innings, thanks to a pair of solos from Pena and Javy Lopez.

Ramirez had driven the Cubs into a 1st inning lead, as the hosts had loaded the bases, before failing to gain more than the single run. Hernandez then picked up his game, and lasted 8 strong innings, keeping things tight enough for the Reds anaemic offence to tie it.

Javys solo came in the 6th inning, 1 of just 3 hits on the day for the normally potent Reds offence. Pena then did the business in the 10th with his 1 out solo jack, allowing Damaso Marte who came from the otherside of Chicago, to shut out the Cubs for the final inning and clinch a crucial win.

Wood is a heavy favorite in tomorrows start, but if the Reds show the commitment as they did today, anything could happen.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "It was a bad call, the umpires have to take responsibilty for their decisions or lack of. This series is to huge for both teams for the Ump's to be making BS calls on tight plays. What i want to talk about is the spirit showed by my players today, everyone did their jobs"

Pena: "We didnt get much to hit today, so i knew that once one dropped in the sweetspot i had to let loose. Hitting 40 is a great acheivement for me, ive shot a load this year but theres plenty left in this Willy"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

J.Lopez - 1/3, 1HR, 1RBI

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

Pitching:

Hernandez - 8I 6H 1R 1ER 0BB 4K 0HR 4.40ERA

Kline - 1I 2H 0R 0ER 1BB 1K 0HR 2.91ERA W(6-2)

Marte - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2K 0HR 2.52ERA (Save 2)

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   2   3   1


CHC   1   9   0

[Lual]

Game 2: Cincinnati Reds (63-52) @ Chicago Cubs (65-50)

Walkoff Drama!

Above: The Reds just miss out at home in the 9th, Right: Burnitz celebrates his 2 run walkoff blast!

Drama at Wrigley as the Cubs took the win thanks to a 2 run walkoff homer by Burnitz, as they survived a Reds rally in the 9th.

Chicago had a 1-0 lead going into the 9th thanks to a solo shot from Garciaparra, but with the Reds determined to rally, the Cubs saw the lead snatched away as Betemit drove home Ryan Freel who went 3/4 (including a triple) on his return to the lineup.

The Reds then sent a man to home from 3rd to try and snatch the lead, but the Cubs made sure of the out at home, setting up their dramatic win.

Some further bad news for the Reds was the loss of Starter Kyle Davies to a inflamed left shoulder at the end of the 2nd inning. Kyle is now likely to be out for around 10-14 days, leaving the Reds with a tough decision as who to start in his absence.

Tomorrows rubber matchup is likely to provide more drama as both teams are scrapping for every win possible.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "We are fighters and have proven that in this series. Everyone has questioned our pitching, but those who have faced the Cubs in this series, have really given us something to build on"

Freel: "Its good to be back in action, but today was a disappoitment overall, we need to win this series and have got alot of pressure on us for tomorrows game"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 3/4, 1 Triple

Betemit - 1RBI

Pitching:

Davies - 2I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 3K 0HR 5.80ERA

Parrish - 5I 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K 1HR 2.88ERA

Jenks - 1.1I 2H 2R 2ER 0BB 1K 1HR 16.88ERA L(0-1)

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   1   6   0


CHC   3   6   1

[Lual]

Game 3: Cincinnati Reds (63-53) @ Chicago Cubs (66-50)

Cubs On Top!

Above: Miley cant believe whats happened to Carlos, Right: The Reds know theres a battle to get back in the race!

After a pair of tense tight games, the Cubs broke out in the rubber to see off the Reds 9-3 thanks to 6 homers off their former pitcher Carlos Zambrano.

Zambrano has become a nightmare for the Reds, seeing him drop to his 8th defeat of the year and 4th in 4 starts. With the Cubs blasting away freely, the Reds offence tried but failed to keep up. Only Griffey produced at the plate, with 3 RBIs, 2 of which came off Sac Flys.

With no response to the Cubs surge, the Reds now fall to a 3-8 record in August, and unbelievably only sit 2 games ahead of 4th placed Milwaukee, where they travel to next for a 3 game series.

The Reds in 4th would of been unthinkable at the start of the year, now its more of a reality check.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Yeah it hurts right now, but we are big enough to get through this. Milwaukee will be tough, but its a must win series, time to prove our identity now"

Zambrano: "Im still the same Carlos, just going through one of those spells. I know i have the ability and have proven it, so theres no concern from me or the staff"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Dunn - 3/3

Griffey - 1/2, 3RBI

Pitching:

Zambrano - 7I 15H 9R 9ER 0BB 3K 6HR 4.19ERA L(15-

Spooneybarger - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 5.14ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   3   8   0


CHC   9  15   0

[Lual]

Upcoming Series: 3 Games @ Milwaukee Brewers

Game 1: Cincinnati Reds (63-54) @ Milwaukee Brewers (61-56)

Brew Crew Get It Done!

Above: Caseys 2 run shot, and a force out at home (turning into a double play) is not enough for the Reds!

With the Reds in freefall, the Brewers took full advantage in their series opener by smashing Claussen all around Miller Park to seal a solid 8-2 win, after trailing early to Casey's 2 run shot.

The Reds failed to capatilise on the early blast from their 1st baseman, and soon found themselves chasing runs, as the Brewers established a 8-2 lead thanks in part to solo shots from Choi and Carlos Lee.

Brandon Claussen again failed to get it done on the mound for the Reds, as he now slips to a 12-8 record with a 4.53ERA, leaving real doubts over the Reds future in this years playoff race.

6GB off 1st place, 3GB off the Wildcard and only 2 ahead of the Brewers in 4th, is this really the same team that tore up the Majors in April and May?

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Same old, same old. I seem to repeat myself out here alot lately and its becoming tiring. We seem to lack in the fundamental areas, theres only so much we can coach the players, they have to use their heads out there to get this thing going again"

Dunn: "Its not working out for us at the moment. We are still in the hunt, but theres alot of hardwork to be done before we can be called contenders"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

J.Lopez - 2/4, 1 Double

Casey - 2/4, 1HR, 2RBI

Pitching:

Claussen - 5.2I 11H 6R 6ER 1BB 1K 2HR 4.53ERA L(12-

Parrish - 2.1I 5H 2R 2ER 0BB 0K 1HR 3.04ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   2   9   0


MIL   8  16   2

[Lual]

Game 2: Cincinnati Reds (63-55) @ Milwaukee Brewers (62-56)

Harang's Your Man!

Above: Miley has a busy day, as he uses 4 pitchers to earn this win!

Series Tied, the Reds battle back bravely to tie the series in Milwaukee with a 7-4 win, thanks to a stellar effort on the mound from Harang and the bullpen.

Harang collected his 14th win and Alfonseca his 24th save, as the Reds made sure the successful day at the plate, turned into victory.

The Reds made good use of smallball to collect all 7 runs today from their 16 hit haul, steals, bunts and hit and runs all played their part, as the Reds had to manufacture a key win in Milwaukee.

Orlando Hernandez is set to go in tomorrows rubber game, with the Reds needing him to repeat his impressive form shown in his time with the club.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "We will do everything possible to stay in this race. Games are running out fast, so we need to start winning series again before the Cubs become a spot on the horizon"

Harang: "Im getting the job done as best i can, its tough going, but we are scrapping to get the wins"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 2/4, 1RBI, 1 Triple

Betemit - 2/5, 1RBI

Encarnacion - 2/5, 1 Double

Pena - 2/5, 1RBI, 1 Double

Dunn - 5/5, 1RBI

Logan - 2RBI

Molina - 2/5, 1RBI, 1 Double

Pitching:

Harang - 5I 6H 2R 2ER 0BB 5K 0HR 4.02ERA W(14-5)

Marte - 2I 2H 2R 2ER 0BB 1K 1HR 2.70ERA

Brazoban - 1I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.72ERA

Alfonseca - 1I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 0.85ERA (Save 24)

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   7  16   1


MIL   4  12   0

[Lual]

Game 3: Cincinnati Reds (64-55) @ Milwaukee Brewers (62-57)

Zip All for Cinci!

Above: Griffey makes a tight play in the outfield, Right: Even a bunt cant get the Reds home!

The Reds season may now be hanging on a thread after the Brewers reeled them for a 9-0 shutout win, leaving the visitors in chaos.

The pitching woes continued for the Reds as Hernandez soon became the latest victum of the Reds choke', by giving up 9 runs in 4.2 IP. Jenks did hold things together from the pen, and impressed with 6Ks in 3.1 IP, but there was nothing to offer from the Reds bats, as they slumped to 6 hits in reply.

A huge homestand now awaits the Reds, with 3 against the Pirates and 4 versus the Phillies, its a do or die week ahead for the Reds.

Reds Talk:

Griffey: "Its a bit like treading water for us out there. We know what we have to do in our heads, but when it comes to the action, things just fall apart. Ive been around long enough to know we can get better, theres time for us to rejuvenate the season, and who knows where we can end up"

Jenks: "Its tough working out of this pen, our starters are in a rough spell, so theres alot of pressure on us to perform every day"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Betemit - 2/4, 1 Double

Pitching:

Hernandez - 4.2I 13H 9R 7ER 0BB 0K 3HR 4.71ERA L(5-11)

Jenks - 3.1I 4H 0R 0ER 0BB 6K 0HR 10.39ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


CIN   0   6   1


MIL   9  17   0

[yankeerule]

Wow how long have u playd this game. its in mvp right. great dynasty though.

[Lual]

Wow how long have u playd this game. its in mvp right. great dynasty though.

This Dynasty has been going since June..... and ive played all the regular season games so far, thats over 270 :coffee:

Still its good fun, but its tough

Cheers for checking in mate :wtg:

[Lual]

Upcoming Series: 3 Games Home vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Game 1: Pittsburgh Pirates (50-70) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-56)

Reds Sneaky In Extras!

Above: Griffey drives in the winning run, as Casey bursts around the bases to scoot home for the win!

The Reds nearly blew a chance to get back on track, before Griffey came through in the clutch to win the game after 11 tense innings at the GABP.

Cincinnati had rolled out to a 3 run lead in the first 2 innings, giving them an ideal footing to build on for victory. The Pirates had other ideas, and soon chipped away at the lead run by run, before they tied it in the 8th inning, thanks to a Castillo drilling a long double.

The game went into extras, and with Marte keeping his performance upto standard, the Reds went to bat with a chance of the win. Casey got on base with a single, Encarnacion then walked, before Griffey stepped up to drive in Casey with a long single down the right hand side.

The crowd erupted with relief more than anything, as the Reds start to slowly turn the corner in August.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Another hard fought game versus the Pirates. Pittsburgh seem to raise their game against us, so its good to get one over them in these circumstances"

Griffey: "We worked through that as a team. Heads began to drop when the Pirates tied it, but we got together in the dugout and made sure everyone was focused on the win"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 3/6, 2RBI, 1 Double

Betemit - 2/4

Pena - 2/6, 1 Double

Griffey - 2/5, 1RBI

Casey - 2/4

J.Lopez - 1RBI

Pitching:

Gardner - 5I 4H 1R 1ER 0BB 2K 0HR 4.85ERA

Parrish - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.00ERA

Kline - 1I 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.00ERA

Brazoban - 1I 1H 1R 1ER 1BB 0K 0HR 2.88ERA

Marte - 3I 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 2.59ERA W(2-1)

Box:


	  R   H   E


PIT   3   9   1


CIN   4  14   0

[Lual]

Game 2: Pittsburgh Pirates (50-71) @ Cincinnati Reds (65-56)

He's Back!

Above: A magnificent backdrop as Dunn's solo shot flies high in the night sky, Right: Carlos is back on form, going the full 9 in his 16th win!

After weeks of worry, the Reds finally see their old Carlos' back, as he goes the full 9 innings on his way to a 16th win, as the Reds see off the Pirates 9-3, and clinch their first series win since late July.

Zambrano looked in impressive form, racking up 6Ks and never looking in real trouble, although the Pirates will rue leaving the bases loaded when 3-2 in the 4th.

Willy Mo Pena and Adam Dunn both went yard as the Reds found their power again, and for the former it signalled his 41st homer and 100th RBI of the year, leaving him on top of both categories in the MLB and surely a candidate for this years MVP.

Zambrano also contribued with an RBI, as he was walked in a bases loaded situation, adding to runs driven home by Freel (2), J.Lopez (2) and Encarnacion, as the everyone got in on the party.

The sweep is now on the cards, so the fans will be bringing their brooms in anticipation....

Reds Talk:

Zambrano: "The talent dosent go, its all about confidence. Its the same for every position on the field, if you begin to doubt your ability things start to go wrong. Skip and the boys have supported me through this, so i owed them this one and alot more...."

Pena: "Im glad to be getting these personal milestones, but id trade my 41 homers and 100RBIs for a place in the World Series right now"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Freel - 2/4, 2RBI

Pena - 1/4, 1HR, 1RBI

Dunn - 2/4, 1HR, 1RBI

J.Lopez - 2/4, 2RBI, 1 Double

Encarnacion & Zambrano - 1RBI

Pitching:

Zambrano - 9I 10H 3R 3ER 1BB 6K 0HR 4.13ERA W(16-

Box:


	  R   H   E


PIT   3  10   1


CIN   9   8   0

[Lual]

Game 3: Pittsburgh Pirates (50-72) @ Cincinnati Reds (66-56)

Reds Sink Pirates!

Above: Casey stretches and turns a crucial double play to end a bases loaded rally by the Pirates, Right: Miley looks happy as the Reds look sharp again!

Trailing 4-0 through 4 innings, you could be forgiven to see the Reds take the loss against the Pirates. But a sign of a potential turnaround in the clubs fortunes saw the hosts fight back, to claim an impressive 7-4 win we alot of hard work, and a sprinkling of luck.

Javy Lopez got things going for the Reds, as his 3 run shot came at the right time for the Reds in the 6th inning. The Reds then put on a 4 run 8th inning, which included 2 runs coming home on a bad error at 2nd base by the Pirates infield.

A 7-4 lead into the 9th inning usually means lights out for the Reds, but an error, a walk and a single saw the Pirates load the bases with 1 out against Alfonseca. Jack Wilson stepped up to the plate, dribbled a shot past the mound, which saw Bobby Hill flip it to Betemit, who started the double play, as Casey (Pic Above) stretched and clung on to the ball to record the final out.

With the sweep in the books, the Reds suffered some minor bad news as 2B Ryan Freel (left the game in the 7th) had confirmation of a dislocation to a finger, ruling him out for at least 9 days. Bobby Hill is likely to claim the positional starting spot.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Id said to the team as the Pirates went 4-0 up, 'If you cant find it, grind it....' meaning our ability may be less than 100%, so work hard and we can overcome it"

Freel: "Its these niggly injuries than can cause more problems, its the second time ive gone down recently, and im missing just too many games"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Encarnacion - 2/3, 1 Double

J.Lopez - 2/4, 1HR, 3RBI

Logan & Dunn - 1RBI

Error - 2RBI

Pitching:

Claussen - 6I 9H 4R 4ER 0BB 0K 1HR 4.59ERA

Parrish - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 1K 0HR 2.96ERA

Spooneybarger - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 4.97ERA W(2-1)

Alfonseca - 1I 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 1K 0HR 0.83ERA (Save 25)

Box:


	  R   H   E


PIT   4  11   1


CIN   7   9   1

[Lual]

Current MLB Standings: (39 Games Left)

Current National League Wildcard Standings:

[mooseknucks]

Oh come on Lu'! Pick them out of the mud!

[Lual]

Oh come on Lu'! Pick them out of the mud!

i wish it was that easy its tough and a bit heart breaking atm...

cheers for keeping tabs though mate :wtg:

[Lual]

Upcoming Series: 4 Games Home vs Philadelphia Phillies

Game 1: Philadelphia Phillies (67-57) @ Cincinnati Reds (67-56)

Lucky 7th!

Above: Willy hits number 41 and 42, but its not enough as (Right) Harang collapses in the 7th to let the Phillies take control!

The crucial Wildcard Chasing series started with a bang, as the Reds blew a 4-1 lead in the 7th, giving up 8 runs in the inning, and eventually losing 13-5 against a rampant Phillies.

Pena had put the Reds in pole position with 2 homers and 3RBIs, as Harang looked steady on the mound through 6, giving the Reds their 4-1 lead. Things then got rough in the 7th, as Harang lost his location and gave up 8 hits and 8 more runs in total, as the Phillies took control of the match.

Parrish and Jenks fared just as badly when they entered the fray, as the Phillies added to the damage, leaving the Reds to lick their wounds and hope for a better day with Hernandez on the mound for tomorrows start.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Im taking the blame for this one, i should of pulled Aaron, but i gave him the chance to take the game further, possibly even complete. In hindsight, he could of done with a rest and given the bullpen the ball for freshness on the mound"

Harang: "I pitched well, just hit one of those innings in the 7th. Skip did ask me if i could carry on and i said 'yeah, lets see how i go in this inning', maybe i should of give him the ball to take to our pen"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Betemit - 2/4, 1HR, 1RBI

Encarnacion - 2/4

Pena - 2/4, 2HR, 3RBI

Casey - 3/4, 1 Double

Harang - 1/2, 1RBI

Pitching:

Harang - 6.1I 15H 9R 9ER 0BB 5K 2HR 4.35ERA L(14-6)

Parrish - 1.2I 3H 3R 3ER 0BB 1K 2HR 3.27ERA

Jenks - 1I 2H 1R 1ER 1BB 2K 0HR 10.24ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


PHI  13  20   0


CIN   5  11   0

[Lual]

Game 2: Philadelphia Phillies (68-57) @ Cincinnati Reds (67-57)

Phillies Take 2!

Above: Sean Caseys 2 run blast goes high in the sky, but is not enough for the Reds to salvage anything!

The Phillies ensured they would at least split the 4 games in Cincinnati after taking game 2, 4-2 over the Reds who suffered more injury woes.

Cincinnati were always chasing their own tails in this game, as the Phillies raced into a 4-0 lead through 4 innings. At the same time, Reds starter Orlando 'El Duke' Hernandez found himself in the treatment room, as his elbow gave way on the mound. Scans later revealed he has an inflamed right elbow, and is likely to be out for around 10-12 days.

Back on the field, and the Reds managed to pull 2 runs back via Sean Caseys 28th homer of the year, but that was to be that. 2 more left, Gardner to start tomorrow and then Zambrano to finish the series.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Orlando will miss at least 2 starts for us, so Kyle Davies will come back into the rotation after his return from the DL"

Hernandez: "The elbow just gave way out there mid pitch, its not too serious and shouldnt leave any long term effects, but i will miss some starts which is crucial to us at this stage of the season"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Betemit - 2/4

Casey - 1/3, 1HR, 2RBI

Pitching:

Hernandez - 3.1I 5H 3R 3ER 0BB 0K 1HR 4.79ERA

Spooneybarger - 1.2I 3H 1R 1ER 0BB 0K 0HR 4.99ERA

Kline - 2I 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR 2.91ERA

Marte - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 2.55ERA

Jenks - 1I 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1K 0HR 9.28ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


PHI   4   9   0


CIN   2   8   0

[Lual]

Game 3: Philadelphia Phillies (69-57) @ Cincinnati Reds (67-58)

Reds Now Desperate!

Above: Logan filled in for Griffey in the outfield, Right: Dunn can see the writing on the wall!

The Reds season is fast crumbling beneath their feet, as the Phillies wrapped up their 3rd straight win in Cincinnati with a comfortable 7-2 win.

Thome and Burrell were the main instigators of the win, sharing 6RBIs as they imposed their power on the weak end of the Reds rotation. Pena and Dunn managed to drive in RBIs of their own, but the Phillies ensured the win, with a 3 run 9th inning of lefty Steve Kline.

Game 4 could well be do or die for the Reds, as another defeat will see the Reds slip to 3.5GB in the Wildcard race.

Reds Talk:

Miley: "Its looking like its not going to be our year now, we will fight to the last pitch in the last game, but its slipping out of our grasp"

O'Brien (GM): "We shouldn't start pointing fingers at who is to blame, and what went wrong, we just have to come together as a club and look forward to an exciting race to end this season, and re-focus for 2007"

Reds Notables:

Hitting:

Betemit - 2/4, 1 Double

Encarnacion - 2/3

Casey - 2/4

Pena & Dunn - 1RBI

Pitching:

Gardner - 4I 4H 3R 2ER 0BB 2K 0HR 4.81ERA L(2-4)

Parrish - 3I 3H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K 0HR 3.25ERA

Kline - 2I 5H 3R 3ER 0BB 0K 0HR 3.21ERA

Box:


	  R   H   E


PHI   7  12   0


CIN   2  10   1