Reds Fry The Fish on Renteria's Walk-Off Single

The Cincinnati Reds (14-13) overcame a three-run deficit to defeat the visiting Marlins (16-9) 4-3 Saturday night in front of 40,286 fans at Great American Ball Park.  Last year's World Series MVP, Edgar Renteria, shot a base hit into left-field in the bottom of the 10th to score Jonny Gomes from third to secure the come-from-behind victory.  The turning point in the ball game came in the bottom of the 8th when the Redlegs stringed together five consecutive hits off Edward Mujica (all coming with two outs) to knot the game at three a piece.  The two will do battle once more in the rubber match of the series at 4:10 PM tomorrow in the Queen City.  As always here's a look at tonight's box score:

Saturday, April 30, 2011

FLA	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	5	1
CIN	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	1	4	11	1

WP - Cordero (1-0)
LP - Dunn (1-1)   
2B - (FLA) Helms (CIN) Janish, Phillips

Late Rally Falls Short, Marlins Drown Reds 7-6

Florida closer Leo Nunez struck out Jay Bruce with the tying run at second to end the game in helping the Marlins (16-8) defeat host Cincinnati 7-6 at Great American Ball Park Friday night.  It marks the eighth victory in the past ten games for The Fish who jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in this contest before the Redlegs could even take a turn to bat.  Left-hander Travis Wood suffered his worst outing of the season being tagged for seven earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings of work.  Cincinnati will look for redemption tomorrow night in game two of the series when skipper Dusty Baker hands the ball to ace Edinson Volquez for a game scheduled to begin at 7:10 PM.  Here is a quick look at tonight's box score:

Friday, April 29, 2011

FLA	5	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	7	11	0
CIN	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	2	6	7	0

WP - Vasquez (2-2)
LP - Wood (1-3) 
S - Nunez (8)     
2B - (FLA) Ramirez, Bonifacio, Infante (CIN) Hernandez, Janish
3B - (FLA) Bonifacio
HR - (FLA) Buck (CIN) Bruce, Hermida

Notable:
-By picking up his eighth save tonight, Nunez trails only Colorado's Huston Street (9) for the Major League lead in saves this season.
-The win for the Marlins is just their third in their last sixteen tries against Cincy at Great American Ball Park.

Leake Gets Reduced Charge

Reds starting pitcher Mike Leake has plead guilty to an unauthorized use of property charge stemming from an incident earlier this month.  He was sentenced to 30 hours of community service and counseling for his actions.  Here is an excerpt from the Dayton Daily News on Leake's side of the story:

"The 23-year-old right-hander was arrested by Cincinnati police on April 18 after trying to leave Macy's with six T-shirts having a total value of $59.88. He said before the Reds' game Friday against Florida that he was trying to exchange T-shirts he'd purchased on April 2 that were too small.  Instead of seeking help from a clerk, he simply left the already-purchased T-shirts, picked up new ones and tried to leave the store. Security personnel stopped him and called the police."

His explanation seemed pretty rational, nonetheless it was a stupid mistake that the young guy hopefully won't make again in the future.  Leake is scheduled to make his next start this upcoming Monday against division-rival Houston. 

Series Preview vs. Florida Marlins

The Redlegs (13-12) return home to Great American Ball Park for a six-game home stand when they welcome the red-hot Florida Marlins (15-8) for a three-game set beginning Friday night.  The club from Miami has tied their best start to a season in franchise history thanks in large part to picking up victories in ten out of their past thirteen games.  However, Cincinnati has not been too kind to The Fish in recent history as the Reds have won thirteen of the previous fifteen meetings between the two at GABP.  Although boasting a roster full of relative unknowns outside of 3-time All-Star Hanley Ramirez, Florida is poised to return to the postseason for the first time since 2003 when they went on to capture the World Series crown.  Here is a look at the game times, pitching probables and notables on the series:

Friday 4/29 7:10 PM
FLA Vasquez (1-2, 6.52 ERA) vs. CIN Wood (1-2, 5.40 ERA)

Saturday 4/30 7:10 PM
FLA Johnson (3-0, 1.06 ERA) vs. CIN Volquez (2-1, 6.35 ERA)

Sunday 5/1 4:10 PM
FLA Nolasco (2-0, 3.24 ERA) vs. CIN Arroyo (3-2, 3.64 ERA)

Notables:
-Cincy won the season series between the two teams 5-2 in 2010 including a three-game sweep of the Marlins at GABP.
-Florida's success thus far this season is due in large part to a pitching staff that boasts a NL leading 3.06 team ERA. The Reds in comparison rank 11th in the NL with a team ERA of 4.28.
-Joey Votto ranks in the top-5 in MLB in several offensive categories including runs (1st, 23), BA (5th, .379),  OPS (4th, 1.164), OBP (3rd, .509) and walks (2nd, 23).
-Votto has also reached base safely in all 25 games this year.
-Hanley Ramirez, a career .310 hitter, has gotten off to a slow start in '10.  He is batting just .197 with no homeruns and only seven RBI's.  He has just 3 hits in his last 22 at-bats (.136).
-Cincinnati has launched an NL best 31 longballs on the year.  Florida sits 13th in the league with 17.
-Only San Diego (30) has stolen more bases in the National League than the Reds this season (23).  The Fish rank 14th with 10. 
-The two clubs won't see each other again after this weekend until late August when they meet at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. 

Stubbs Powers Reds Past Brew Crew 7-6

Cincinnati (13-12) got a go-ahead solo homerun by Drew Stubbs in the top of the tenth inning to take the game, and the series, from host Milwaukee (12-11) 7-6 this afternoon at Miller Park.  The recently-anemic offense of the Reds jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after the first frame before eventually squandering it away.  The Brewers threatened in the bottom half of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out, but reliever Aroldis Chapman (aka "The Cuban Missile") managed to wiggle out of the jam by striking out Carlos Gomez and inducing slugger Ryan Braun to groundout to send the game into extras.  Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto collected four RBI's while reaching base safely four times for his club today in the winning effort.  Cincinnati will now rest up with a much-needed off day tomorrow before welcoming the Florida Marlins to town to kick-off a six-game homestand beginning Friday night.  Here's the box score and notables from today's affair:

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

CIN	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	7	15	1
MIL	0	0	2	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	6	11	0

WP- Chapman (2-0)
LP- Mitre (0-1)
S- Cordero (4)

2B- (CIN) LeCure, Janish (MIL) Weeks, Betancourt
HR- (CIN) Votto, Stubbs

Notable:
-The two teams combined to use 14 pitchers in a game that took nearly four hours to complete.
-Cincinnati has now won 20 of the last 24 meetings against Milwaukee dating back to 2009. 

Weeks, Milwaukee Prevail 3-2 Over Cincy

Brewers 2B Ricky Weeks led off the bottom of the 8th inning with a game-winning solo homerun to left-center field to help give Milwaukee (12-11) a narrow 3-2 victory Tuesday night over the visiting Redlegs (11-11).  Cincinnati only managed two hits off Brewers pitching on the night with the lone big one coming from Brandon Phillips' two-run shot in the 4th to give the Reds a temporary 2-1 lead.  Brewers starting pitcher Marco Estrada was lights out in his seven innings of work surrendering just two runs and three walks while striking out five, however he earned a no-decision in this one after leaving the game with the score tied at two.  Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun both added homers in the winning effort for Milwaukee who now sit alone in second place after the win.  The rubber game of the series will take place tomorrow afternoon at 1:10 PM at Miller Park.  Here's a look at how tonight's game unfolded:

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

CIN	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	0
MIL	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	x	3	8	0

WP- Loe (2-1)
LP- Ondrusek (2-2)
S- Axford (5) 
3B- (MIL) Weeks
HR- (CIN) Phillips (MIL) Braun, Weeks, Fielder

Reds Bottle Up Brewers 9-5

Cincinnati (12-11) erupted for six runs in the top half of the third inning to help lift themselves past host Milwaukee (11-11) last night at Miller Park. Brandon Phillips had himself a solid ball game going 3-4 at the dish with three RBI's and two runs scored. Cincy starter Bronson Arroyo pushed his season record to 3-2 after allowing just two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Brewer LF Ryan Braun added a homer in the bottom of the ninth for his MLB-leading eighth homer of the year. The two squads will go at it once again for game two of the series at 8:10 PM Tuesday night. Here's a quick look at the box score from last night's action:

Monday, April 25, 2011
 

CIN	0	1	6	0	0	0	0	0	2	9	12	1
MIL	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	2	5	10	0

WP- Arroyo (3-2)
LP- Narveson (1-1)
2B- (CIN) Phillips, Votto, Hanigan (MIL) Lucroy, McGehee, Weeks
HR- (CIN) Bruce (MIL) Braun

Series Preview @ Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee (11-10) looks to avenge a series sweep earlier this season to the hands of Cincinnati (11-11) when the two clubs take aim at one another beginning Monday night at Miller Park.  While the Reds have been slumping in the past two weeks (losing eight out of eleven), the Brew Crew have won eleven out of their last seventeen ball games to put themselves in second place in the division and one spot ahead of the third place Redlegs.  Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder lead a potent Brewers offense poised to get to the postseason for only the fourth time in the franchise's 43-year history.  However, to do so they must get through Joey Votto and last season's NL Central champs.  This series has all the makings of another dandy.  Here are the game times, pitching probables and notes on the three-game series:   
 
Monday 4/25 8:10 PM
CIN Arroyo (2-2, 4.24 ERA) vs. MIL Narveson (1-0, 2.19 ERA)

Tuesday 4/26 8:10 PM
CIN Leake (3-0, 4.94 ERA) vs. MIL Estrada (1-0, 3.21 ERA)

Wednesday 4/27 1:10 PM
CIN LeCure (0-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. MIL Gallardo (2-1, 4.88 ERA) 

Notables:
-Cincinnati has won 18 out of the previous 21 meetings against Milwaukee dating back to 2009.
-The Reds were 4-2 against the Brewers in Milwaukee in 2010.
-In spite of being shutout in their previous outing versus the Cardinals, the Reds are still tied for first in the majors in total runs scored with 114.  Milwaukee is 10th with 98.
-Both teams rank in the top five in the National League in team batting average.  MIL (3rd, .280), CIN (5th, .262).  (As an interesting sidenote, the rest of the top five leaders in team BA also hail from the NL Central suggesting either dominant offensive prowess or lack of decent pitching within the division).
-The two squads rank 2nd and 3rd in OBP & OPS.  MIL (.345/.773), CIN (.337/.757).
-Reds pitchers have struck out a NL leading 180 batters this season.  Brewers pitchers have fanned 155.
-Both teams have players who rank in the top five in MLB in batting average.  Joey Votto (2nd, .395), Ryan Braun (5th, .377).

St. Louis Blanks Cincy 3-0

The Cardinals (12-10) regained sole possession of first place in the NL Central Division Sunday night when they downed the Reds (11-11) 3-0.  Starter Jake Westbrook was fabulous for the Redbirds lasting six innings allowing just three hits and three walks.  The deciding moment in the game came in the bottom of the sixth when catcher Yadier Molina connected on the first pitch he saw from Reds starter Edinson Volquez, and lifted it over the left-center field wall for a three-run blast.  That proved to be the only real offense for either club last night as St. Louis took the series two games to one.  Here is a look at the box score:

Sunday, April 24, 2011

CIN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
STL 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 - 3 7 0

WP- Westbrook (2-2)
LP- Volquez (2-1)
S- Boggs (3)

Rolen Headed to DL

Cincinnati announced today that they are placing 3B Scott Rolen on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained left shoulder.  Rolen had been receiving cortisone injections to help alleviate the pain in recent days, but after his shoulder soreness continued to persist the team was left with no other option but to sideline the veteran for a couple weeks.  The Jasper, Indiana native was batting .217 with two homeruns and 12 RBI's this season before the injury.     

Infielder Chris Valaika was promoted from Triple-A Louisville to take his place on the 25-man roster. 

The loss of Rolen adds yet another Reds player to the DL because of a shoulder injury.  Here is the complete list of the players currently out of action due to some sort of ailment:

• P Jose Arredondo- 15-day DL (Shoulder)
• P Homer Bailey- 15-day DL (Shoulder)
• P Jared Burton- 60-day DL (Shoulder)
• P Johnny Cueto- 15-day DL (Shoulder)
• 3B Juan Francisco- 15-day DL (Calf)
• OF Fred Lewis- 15-day DL (Oblique)
• 3B Scott Rolen- 15-day DL (Shoulder)

Reds Knot the Series, Win 5-3

In yet another weather-delayed affair, Cincinnati (11-10) held off St. Louis (11-10) 5-3 on Saturday night at Busch Stadium to tie the series at one a piece.  The Reds capitalized on a Cardinal error, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch to push across three runs in the top of the 8th to capture the come-from-behind victory.  The key moment in the inning came when 3B Miguel Cairo stroked a two-out, two-run single into left-field despite being down 0-2 in the count.  The win for the Redlegs once again throws them into a perpetual tie with the Cardinals atop the NL Central, making tomorrow's 8:10 start time on ESPN a crucial ball game.  Here's a look at tonight's box score:

Saturday, April 23, 2011

CIN (11-10)	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	5	4	0
STL (11-10)	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	8	2

Cards Win Round One, 4-2

St. Louis (11-9) took over sole possession of the NL Central Divsion Friday night when they slipped past the Reds (10-10) 4-2 on a soggy Missouri night at Busch Stadium. The game was delayed nearly three hours due to inclement weather in the region, but still 40,327 fans showed up to watch the Cardinals defeat the Redlegs for the 13th time in the two club's previous 19 meetings. Cincy hopes to even the series at one game a piece Saturday with first pitch slated for 4:10 PM.

Friday, April 22, 2011

CIN  0  0  0  0  1  0   1  0  0 2 10 1
STL  1  1  1  0  1  0   0  0  X 4 12 0

WP- McClellan  (3-0)
LP- Maloney (0-1)
S- Boggs (2)

Notables:
-It was the sixth consecutive game in which a Reds starting pitcher has allowed a run or more in the first inning.  In fact, Cincy pitching has surrendered the most first inning runs in all of MLB (24).
-Joey Votto's 0-4 night dropped his BA to .394 which no longer leads MLB.  It is however, still good for second behind Matt Kemp's .403 average.

Series Preview @ St. Louis Cardinals

Two teams vying for sole position of first place in the NL Central Division collide in St. Louis for a pivotal three game series beginning Friday night at Busch Stadium.  The Cardinals (10-9) come in as one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball right now winners of eight of their past eleven games.  Meanwhile, the Reds (10-9) have cooled off considerably as of late dropping six of their last eight.  Cincinnati looks to reverse that trend when they take aim at Albert Pujols and the rival Cardinals this weekend.  The 2010 season series brought a renewed intensity to the rivalry between these two historic franchies and I expect this year's season series to be just as intense.  Here's a look at the game times, pitching probables and notables on the series: 

Friday 4/22 8:15 PM
CIN Volquez (2-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. STL McClellan (2-0, 1.89 ERA) 

Saturday 4/23 4:10 PM
CIN Wood (1-2, 5.73 ERA) vs. STL Carpenter (0-2, 4.13 ERA)

Sunday 4/24 8:00 PM
CIN LeCure (0-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. STL Westbrook (1-2, 9.82 ERA)

Notables:
-Although the Redlegs won the division in 2010, the Cards dominated the season series between the two clubs winning twelve out of the eighteen matchups.
-Cincinnati was just 3-6 at Busch Stadium last season.
-Joey Votto is currently batting .418 on the season.  That ranks him 1st in all of MLB.
-The series will highlight the two highest scoring teams in all of baseball.  Cincinnati currently sits in 1st with 100 runs scored on the year while St. Louis is close behind in second with 99.   
-St. Louis leads the NL in team BA (.296) while the Reds lead the NL in HR's (24) and are 3rd in OBP (.341), OPS (.781) and SLG (.440).
-Cincy continues to sit near the top of the NL in fielding this season having committed only 8 errors. St. Louis by comparison, has committed an uncharacteristic 14 miscues this year so far.
-Albert Pujols and Jonny Gomes are presently tied for second in homeruns in MLB with 6 each.
-The Cards are 10-0-1 in their past 11 home series against Cincy.

Fast Start Lifts Reds to 7-4 Victory

The Reds (10-9) pushed four runs across in the bottom of the first to help them get a much needed 7-4 victory over Arizona (8-9) Thursday afternoon in the Queen City.  Recently-embattled Reds pitcher Mike Leake delivered a strong performance for his ball club going seven innings allowing just three runs on four hits while fanning six batters.  Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto chipped in two hits, including a towering solo homerun into the seats in right-center field, to help boost his batting average to .418 on the year.  With the weight of a four-game losing streak off their backs the Redlegs now head west to battle the St. Louis Cardinals (10-9) for a series beginning Friday night at Busch Stadium.  Here's a look at how today's afternoon contest unfolded:   

Thursday, April 21, 2011

ARI 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 6 0
CIN 4 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 - 7 9 0

WP- Leake (3-0)
LP- Hudson (0-4)

Player of the game- Mike Leake, 7 IP, 3 ER, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts, 2 BB's (Leake showed great resiliency today delivering a great outing following his recent run-in with the law)

Notables:
-Arizona 3B Melvin Mora missed his third consecutive game with a sore left foot.
-The conclusion of today's series marks a homestand in which the Reds went 2-5 versus teams that finished last in their respective divisions and combined to win only 37.6% of their games in 2010. 

Cardinals Add More Fuel to Rivalry

In response to a recent incident involving Reds pitcher Mike Leake, St. Louis Cardinal fans have added even more bad blood to the rivalry with the creation of this t-shirt.  The Reds will hit the road for St. Louis to take on the Redbirds after the conclusion of their series today versus the Diamondbacks.  Preview of that series will be posted later on tonight.  Stay tuned.

Woes Continue, Losing Streak Hits Four

The Arizona (8-8) pitching staff quieted Cincinnati's bats for a second consecutive game en route to a 3-1 win Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.  Both clubs received great outings from their starting pitchers and bullpen alike, but in the end the Diamondbacks were able to deliver timely hitting to win their fourth game over the Reds (9-9) in five tries this season.  Cincinnati will look to improve on a dismal 1-5 record on the home stand when they conclude their three-game series with the D'backs beginning at 12:35 PM on Thursday.  Here is a look at the box score and some other notables from last night's affair:

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

ARI 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 5 0
CIN 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 0

WP- Kennedy (2-1)
LP- Arroyo (2-2)
S- Putz (5)

Player(s) of the game: (ARI) Stephen Drew, 2-4, 2 RS, 2B
Arizona bullpen, 3 2/3 IP, 0 hits, BB, 4 strikeouts, 0 runs

Notables:
-The NL's leading offense (Reds) has sputtered as of late managing to collect only 13 combined hits in their past three games. 
-Despite his team's recent struggles 1B Joey Votto still continues to rake.  He ranks second in MLB in batting average at .413.
-Although Cincy has dropped six of their past seven games they still remain tied for first in the NL Central with Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis, all with records of 9-9.

D'backs Take A Bite Out of Redlegs 5-4

Cincinnati (9-8) couldn't manage to overcome another early inning deficit Tuesday night, falling to Arizona (7-8) 5-4 at Great American Ball Park.  The Diamondbacks got a quality start out of pitcher Armanda Galarraga while 3B Ryan Roberts pitched in two homeruns to help propel the road team to victory.  The loss marks the third straight for the slumping Reds who are also losers of eight of their past twelve ball games.  Skipper Dusty Baker will march out seasoned veteran Bronson Arroyo tomorrow night to try and stop the skid with first pitch scheduled to begin at 7:10 PM.  Here's a look at how tonight's matchup unfolded:               

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

ARI 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 5 10 1
CIN 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 5 0

WP- Galarraga (3-0)
LP- LeCure (0-1)
S- Putz (4)

Player of the game: (ARI) Ryan Roberts, 2-3, 2 HR's, 3 RBI's, 2 RS, BB

Notables:
-The Cincinnati offense has managed to muster just nine hits combined in their last two games.
-2B Brandon Phillips returned to action tonight after missing four games with an aggravated groin muscle.  He went 2-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.

Series Preview vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

After losing three out of four to perennial loser Pittsburgh, Cincinnati (9-7) looks to right the ship against the Arizona Diamondbacks (6-8) beginning tonight at 7:10 PM.  The two teams met earlier this month at Chase Field in Phoenix, with the D'backs taking the series two games to one.  However, since their series with the Redlegs Arizona has suffered defeats in four of their past six games.  Likewise, Cincy has also fell onto hard times in the past week losing four of their past six ball games as well.  With both teams desperately needing a couple wins in this three-game set it should make for some good, competitive baseball.  Here is a peek at the game times, pitching probables and some notables on the series:

Tuesday 4/19 7:10 PM
ARI Galarraga (2-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. CIN LeCure (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

Wednesday 4/20 7:10 PM
ARI Kennedy (1-1, 6.88 ERA) vs. CIN Arroyo (2-1, 4.24 ERA)

Thursday 4/21 12:35 PM
ARI Hudson (0-3, 4.26 ERA) vs. CIN Leake (2-0, 5.40 ERA)

Series Notables:
-Two of MLB's best hitters will be featured in this series.  Joey Votto (.429 BA) sits in second behind only LA's Matt Kemp (.459 BA), while Arizona catcher Miguel Montero is tied for 5th (.391 BA).
-Cincinnati ranks first in MLB in runs (95), second in homers (23) and third in team batting average (.285).
In comparison, Arizona ranks 10th, 13th, and 5th respectively, in those categories.
-The D'backs rank last in the NL in team ERA (5.55).  The Reds are 11th (4.51)
-Both clubs show a propensity to be aggresive on the basepaths as they are tied for second in the NL in total steals (15).
-Cincy pitching has allowed the second most walks in the NL (66).  Arizona pitchers have been more stengy allowing just 47, good enough for the third fewest in the NL.
-Opposing offenses have obliterated Diamondback pitching this season with a batting average of .291.  That is the highest BA allowed by any pitching staff in the majors this season. 
-Injuries keep piling up for the NL Central Division leading Reds.  Cincinnati currently has seven players sidelined with nagging injuries of some sort (Jared Burton, Brandon Phillips, Jose Arredondo, Aroldis Chapman, Juan Francisco, Homer Bailey, Jonny Cueto)

Reds Walk the Plank Once More, Fall 9-3

Pittsburgh (8-8) wrapped up a series-clinching win Monday night when they raced past Cincinnati (9-7) 9-3 on a pleasant 70 degree night in the Queen City.  Pirates starting pitcher Kevin Correia dominated the Redlegs offense all game long scattering just four hits and three runs in his complete game outing.  In contrast, the Bucs offense teed off on Reds pitching from start to finish knocking out Reds starter Travis Wood after only 3 1/3 innings.  Even with the loss, Cincy still remains in the top spot in the NL Central Division by one game over St. Louis and Pittsburgh.  The boys in red will dust themselves off and try to get back on the winning side of things when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks (6-8) to town beginning tomorrow night.  Here's a look at the box score and notables from tonight's "titanic struggle":

Monday, April 18, 2011

PIT 3 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 9 15 1
CIN 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 4 0

WP- Correia (3-1)
LP- Wood (1-2)

Player(s) of the game: (PIT) Kevin Correia, CG, 4 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB's, 5 strikeouts, 109 pitches
Matt Diaz, 2-4, 2 RBI's, 2 RS

Notables:
-The Reds placed 3B Juan Francisco on the 15-day DL (strained calf) before the game today and called up OF Jeremy Hermida from AAA Louisville.
-2B Brandon Phillips missed his fourth straight game due to a groin injury.
-Only 12,777 fans took in tonight's uninspirable loss to the Pirates.
-Pitcher Mike Leake was in uniform tonight despite being arrested earlier in the day for theft charges.

Full box score can be seen here.

Reds Hurler Mike Leake Arrested for Theft

Bad news coming out of Reds country today as starting pitcher Mike Leake has been arrested for alledgedly stealing $60-worth of merchandise from a downtown Cincinnati Macy's store.  He was taken into custody at the Hamilton County Justice Center around 2:00 PM today charged with one count of misdemeanor theft.  Further details have yet to be released.

Why a guy making $425,000 a year feels the need to swipe a few things at a department store is beyond me, but it is safe to say that Leake is already seriously regretting his decision.  It is unclear at this point what sort of disciplinary action the Reds will take in response to this incident, if any.  The former first round draft pick out of Arizona State is currently 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA this season.         

Bucs Knock off Reds 7-6

Cincinnati (9-6) threatened late, but their efforts fell just shy as Pittsburgh (7-8) took game three of the series 7-6 in front of 32,105 fans at Great American Ball Park Sunday.  The Redlegs managed to stage a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth before Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan induced a fly ball from Drew Stubbs to end the game.  The visiting squad managed to win despite committing two errors and being outhit by the home team 15-9.  Cincy will look to earn a tie of the series when the two face off again tomorrow at 7:10 PM.  Here's a look at the box score and other notables from today's game:

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

PIT  4 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 7 9 2
CIN 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 6 15 1

WP- Resop (1-0)
LP- Ondrusek (2-1)
S- Hanrahan (5)

Player(s) of the game- (PIT) Andrew McCutchen, 3-3, RS, 2 BB's, HR, 2 RBI's (reached base safely in all 5 trips to the plate today)
Pirates bullpen, 4 2/3 IP, only 1 ER allowed

Key moment: Andrew McCutchen's single to center field in the top of the 8th proved to be the game-winning run in the contest. 

Notables:
-Reds ace Edinson Volquez continues to struggle in the early innings of his outings.  His ERA currently sits at 9.53 ERA.
-Brandon Phillips sat out for his third consecutive game because of a groin injury.

Couple of notes for today's game...

• Brandon Phillips will not be available to play again today as he is still bothered by a groin injury.
• Juan Francisco will be unavailable as well.  His condition is still being evaluated after exiting yesterday's game early. 
• Dusty Baker said he would like to give reliever Arolidis Chapman another day's rest today, but if absolutely needed Chapman could pitch.

Gomes, Reds Plunder Pirates 11-2

The Reds (9-5) exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to propel themselves to an 11-2 victory over Pittsburgh (6-8) Saturday.  Starter Mike Leake was brilliant filling in for the injured Edinson Volquez by posting six innings of four-hit, two-run baseball.  The Cincy offense scattered 15 total hits on the overcast afternoon while Jonny Gomes homered twice.  The two clubs will slug it out once again tomorrow in game three of the series with the contest beginning at 1:10 PM.  Here is a look at the box score and notables from Saturday's game:
   
Saturday, April 16th, 2011

PIT  0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 1
CIN 0 1 1 0 7 2 0 0 - 11 15 0

WP- Leake (2-0)
LP- McDonald (0-1)

Player(s) of the game: Jonny Gomes, 2-4, 3 RBI's, 2 HR's, 2 RS, BB
Ramon Hernandez, 3-4, 4 RBI's, HR, 2B, BB, RS

Key moment: Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez busted the game wide-open in the bottom of the 5th inning when he launched a grand slam deep into the left field seats.

Notable:
-Hernandez's grand slam was the sixth such homerun in his career.

Full box score here.

Leake to Make Start in Place of Volquez

Dusty Baker will mix up the rotation a bit today when he hands the ball to Mike Leake instead of Edinson Volquez.  Volquez was today's regularly scheduled starter, but due to stiffness in his neck his start will be pushed back to Sunday while Leake will make his one day earlier than anticipated.  Cincinnati looks to put an end to back-to-back losses with first pitch today at 1:10 PM. 

Bucs Prevail 6-1 Behind Morton's CG

Pittsburgh (6-7) waltzed into town losers of four straight games, but steamrolled the Redlegs (8-5) 6-1 in a wet, gusty affair Friday evening.  Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton kept Cincinnati hitters off-balance all night long on his way to notching his second career complete game.  Bronson Arroyo was knocked around for five runs on nine hits in four innings of work, his shortest outing of the season.  Cincy will get a chance to erase the taste of this bitter defeat with a quick turnaround tomorrow with a start time of 1:10 PM.  Here is the box score and notes from Friday's game:

Friday, April 15th, 2011

PIT 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 6 14 1
CIN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 1

WP- Morton (2-0)
LP- Arroyo (2-1)

Player(s) of the game- (PIT) Charlie Morton, CG, 5 hits, ER, 2 BB's, 110 pitches-81 for strikes
Jose Tabata, 4-5, RS, 2B (Very impressed with this young player, only 22 years old and showing great promise at the plate, batting .354 this year.)

NOT player of the game- (PIT) Andrew McCutchen, 0-5, 4 K's (Yes, the "golden sombrero".  His 4 strikeouts were one shy of an all-time club record)

Notables:
-Game took just 2 hours and 36 minutes to complete.
-Cincinnati was without the services of second basemen Brandon Phillips who missed the game due to a groin injury.

Full box score can be seen here. 
    

Series Preview vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Cincinnati (8-4) returns home to host fellow N.L. Central foe Pittsburgh (5-6) for a four-game series slated to begin Friday night at Great American Ballpark.  The Pirates came out of the season gates winning four of their first six, but have been reeling as of late dropping their last three ball games (not including the results of their game tonight versus Milwaukee).  The team from the Steel City has not compiled a winning season in 18 consecutive years, the longest such streak of any North American professional team.  This could be partly attributed to their constant state of rebuilding, but with historically having one of the lowest team payrolls in MLB year-after-year ($46 million in '11) it's hard to right the ship.  The Bucs finished with the worst record in all of baseball last season at 57-105 and have not finished above last place in the Central division since the 2006 season.  Fans, ownership and players alike are tired of losing in Pittsburgh and rightfully so.  They will look to keep their season record around the .500 mark when they pay a visit to the Queen City this weekend for a date with the Redlegs.  Here are the game times, pitching probables and notables on the series:

Friday 4/15 7:10 PM
PIT Morton (1-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. CIN Arroyo (2-0, 2.08 ERA)

Saturday 4/16 1:10 PM
PIT McDonald (0-0, 5.56 ERA) vs. CIN Volquez (2-0, 5.82 ERA)

Sunday 4/17 1:10 PM
PIT TBD vs. CIN Leake (1-0, 6.75 ERA)

Monday 4/18 7:10 PM
PIT Correia (2-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. CIN LeCure (0-0, 2.25 ERA)

Series Notables:
-Cincinnati won the season series in 2010 10-6.
-In last year's meetings no team scored more than nine runs in any of the 16 matchups.
-Cincinnati ranks first in MLB this year in runs scored (74), Pittsburgh ranks 29th (37).
-The Bucs have been outscored by a total margin of 10 runs this season by their opponents, the Reds in comparison have outpaced their opposition by a cumulative margin of 23 runs.
-Joey Votto enters the series tied for first in MLB in batting average at .444.
-The Pirates current leading hitter is tied for 43rd in MLB with a BA of .326. (Jose Tabata)
-The series will feature 3 out of the top 4 freeloaders in the National League.  Jonny Gomes ranks first in the N.L. in walks (14), Joey Votto is tied for 4th (9) and Jose Tabata is also tied for 4th (9).  Pitchers on both teams may want to take note and make an extra effort to get ahead in the count early on these hitters.
-Cincy currently has five regular players batting .300 or better.  Pittsburgh has one.