Cairo's Long Ball Helps Reds Avoid Sweep

By:  Coop


Bronson Arroyo was on the hill for the Reds.  Every time he pitches, Reds fan expect a solid outing.  But some Reds fans out there were prepared for a brutal game.  Arroyo has terrible numbers against Toronto in his career, games in which he has given up a ton of runs without even going 4 innings.  Today he got his revenge on the Blue Jays, as he pitched a gem allowing just 1 run.  He would have lost the game if it wasn't for one swing of the bat.  Cincinnati won 2-1, and here is how.


It was a scoreless game until the top of the 5th when Aaron Hill went yard to left field, it was 1-0 Toronto on top.


The Reds had not put up many runs this series, so I'm sure some people were thinking we would be shut down for the remainder of the game, and lose 1-0.  Well, I kinda thought that too.


But Miguel Cairo didn't.


The Super-Sub hit 2-run jack to left in the 6th inning to give the Redlegs a 2-1 lead.


Bronson Arroyo would pitch until the 8th keeping the Jays intact.  Then Francisco Cordero came in to pitch in the 9th, and had a 1-2-3 inning, good for his 15th save of the year.


Bronson Arroyo is the winner, he went 8 innings, giving up just 1 run, off of 5 hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. The high-kicking righty is now 6-6.


Villanueva, the Blue Jay's starter, was the tough-luck loser.  He pitched well as he went 7 innings of 7 hit, 2 run baseball, but made only 1 mistake, and it cost him.


So the Reds avoid the sweep, and pick up a game in the Central since the Brewers lost.  Cincinnati is now 2 games back and have a record of 38-35.


Tomorrow the Reds will start a highly anticipated series against the New York Yankees.  This will be a great chance for the Reds to prove they can beat good teams, and can beat American League teams.  The Reds are 1-5 in Inter-league play this season.  


The game tomorrow will start at 7:10 PM ET, the game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio.  If there is not a sellout for all 3 games, I will be shocked.

Cairo's Slam and Edinson's Arm Help Get the Job Done

By:  Coop


Edinson Volquez cut off his dreadlocks.  Must have helped.  He looked much better than his previous starts this season, and here is something shocking: he pitched a scoreless 1st inning.  He went 7 innings giving up just 1 run, he got the run support, as the bats gave him 8 runs, 4 of which came on 1 swing of the bat.  The Reds won it 8-2, here is how.


There was only 1 inning in which Edinson struggled, that was the 2nd.  But the good news is he only gave up 1 run.  That was when Blake DeWitt RBI double to plate Ramirez, 1-0 Cubs.


Cincinnati would answer back in the 3rd when Drew Stubbs hit an RBI double to bring Janish home, and the game was tied.  


In the 4th inning the Reds would take the lead when Ramon Hernandez hit a sac fly to plate Bruce, 2-1 the score.  Cincy never looked back.


The Reds added 2 in the 5th when Votto walked with the bases loaded, then Johnny Gomes hit a sac fly to right, the score was 4-1.


Then in the 7th inning, the runners occupied all 3 pillows, there was 1 out.  The last thing anyone really expected was a grand slam since Cairo isn't much of a power hitter.  But guess what?  He got a hold of one. HE HIT A GRAND SLAM! The close game was now a laugher, 8-1 the score.  That was Miguel's 2nd career grand salami. 


Jeremy Horst did give up a run in the 9th when Lou Montanez hit an RBI single, DeWitt slid in, just avoiding the tag, the score was 8-2, and that's how she finished. 


Edinson Volquez got the win, as he went 7 innings, gave up 1 run, on 7 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts.  He is now 4-2 this season.


Milwaukee and St. Louis are both winning right now, if they both win nothing will change in the Central.  If the Cards lose and the Brewers win, then the Reds and Brewers gain a game.  If the Cardinals and Brew Crew both lose (hopefully they do), the Reds will pick up a game.


Yesterday the Reds won 8-2, today they win 8-2.  Will they tomorrow?  We'll have to find out at 12:35 PM ET.  Bronson Arroyo will climb the hill for Cincy, while Ryan Dempster will pitch for the Baby Bears.  You can catch the game on Fox Sports Ohio or MLB Network.  

Votto And Cairo Help Reds Beat Cards

Miguel Cairo hit a 2 RBI single, helping the Reds beat the
Cardinals 5-3, Saturday

By: Coop


The Cincinnati Reds were coming off of a tough loss to St. Louis last night, and were looking to even up the series tonight.  The Reds were on national television, as they were on Fox.  Yes Fox, not Fox Sports Ohio, but Fox.  The same Fox that American Idol comes on.  Anyways, Cincy was looking to beat the Cardinals, go over .500, and be tied for 1st place in the Central.  Well, they did win, thanks to good pitching by Travis Wood, and key hits from Joey Votto and Miguel Cairo.  The Reds won 5-3.  Here is how.


For the first time in what seems like forever, the Reds kept a team off the board in the 1st inning.  But, they failed to keep them off the board for too long.  In the 2nd inning, Davis Freese hit an RBI single to right, Berkman scored, it was 1-0 Red Birds.  Then in the 3rd, Chris Carpenter hit a lead-off double, then was bunted to 3rd, then Colby Rasmus hit a sac fly to bring him home.  Great execution by St. Louis, get em on, get em over, get em in.


2-0 would remain the score until the 6th.  Brandon Phillips was on first via walk, and Joey Votto was at the plate.  Joey Votto did what Joey Votto does.  He hit a home run, a 2-run jack, his 4th homer of the season, and the game was tied at 2.  For those of you who like to know how far it was hit, it was about 410 feet to center field.


So the Reds tied it up, but in the 7th, Albert Pujols untied it.  He hit a long, and I mean long, ball to left field, right over the Reds bullpen, 426 feet, and the Cardinals had a 3-2 lead.


After the 7th inning was completed, the game went into a rain delay, after 42 minutes of sitting, we were ready to play ball.  Miguel Bautista was the pitcher, the same guy that started last night.  In a blink of an eye, the bases were loaded for Jay Bruce and the count was full at 3 balls and 2 strikes.  Well, Jay was patient enough to watch ball 4, and bring in a run, the game was tied once again, 3-3.  The next batter, Miguel Cairo, had them loaded, and he delivered.  He hit one into left field, Votto and Gomes would score, it was a 2 RBI single for Miguel, and the Reds had a 5-3 lead.


Logan Ondrusek had a 1-2-3 8th inning, and then in the 9th, Francisco Cordero had a 1-2-3 inning, picking up save number 3.  Alroldis Chapman, who pitched in the 7th, gets the win and goes to 1-0 on the season.


The starter, Travis Wood got a no-decision, but pitched well, as he went 6.1 innings, gave up 3 runs, off of 8 hits, walked one, and had 5 strikeouts.  


The Reds are now 11-10 and tied for 1st place.  Tomorrow they will try and be in first place alone, as they battle St. Louis at 8:10 PM ET.  That game will be nationally televised on ESPN.  Nice to see the Redlegs on national television, even better when it's two nights in a row.

Reds Yield Sweep With Win Over 'Zona

Mike Leake earned the win, Thursday, helping the Reds pick up only their
2nd win in 8 games.

By:  Coop


The Cincinnati Reds had lost 5 of their last 6 games, and were trying to avoid being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks.  If they wanted to pick up a win, and go over the .500 mark, Mike Leake would have to pitch well.  He usually pitches well every time he takes the hill, but this time, he would have to play somewhat distracted.  Why was he distracted?  Because he was arrested earlier this week for stealing tee shirts from Macy's.  Well, despite the nasty signs some fans made, and some boos from the crowd, Leake pitched well, helping the Reds go to 10-9, as they win 7-4.  Here is how.


The Diamondbacks scored in the 1st inning off of a Steven RBI single, Roberts would score, 1-0.  The Reds pitchers have gave up tons of runs in the 1st inning so far this season, not sure how many exactly, but I know the amount leads the NL.


The Reds would answer back in their half of the 1st, where they scored 4 runs.  The 1st run was plated when the bases were loaded, and Jay Bruce walked, 1-1 the score.  The 2nd and 3rd runs came across when Miguel Cairo hit a 2 RBI single, Votto and Gomes scored, the Redlegs had a 3-1 lead.  The final run of the inning was scored when the bases were loaded and Paul Janish walked, 4-1 the score after the 1st.  Not a good 1st inning for the starter Daniel Hudson.


Mike Leake went to school in Arizona, and maybe was kinda hoping the D-Backs would do something, so he helped them out.  In the 2nd inning, Hudson laid down a sac bunt, Miranda would come across to score, 4-2.  Then in the 5th, Johnson hit a long ball to right field, the Reds lead was only by 1.


In the Cincinnati 5th inning, Joey Votto hit a 378 foot home run to right, his 3rd long ball of the year, and the Reds lead was back to 2.


In the 6th inning, the Reds would score twice.  The 1st run came off of Ramon Hernandez's bat, when he hit an RBI double, Miguel Cairo would score, 6-3.  Then the 2nd run scored when Paul Janish hit an RBI single to center, Ramon would score, 7-3.


Francisco Cordero would give up a run in the 9th when Drew went yard, 7-4 the score, and that's how she finished.


Mike Leake gets the win, as he went 7 innings, have up 3 earned runs off of 4 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Leake is now 3-0 on the season, and 0-1 when it comes to getting away from the cops, well as far as we know.


Tonight the Reds will hop on the plane and head to St. Louis to take on the filthy Red Birds for a 3 game series.  We all know what happened last year, the bench-clearing brawl.  We'll see if any kind of scuffle happens in this series.  Hopefully the Reds put the Cardinals in their place if there is.  Game time tomorrow is set for 8:15 PM ET, and will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio and MLB Network. 

Hanigan And Arroyo Help Reds Complete Sweep Of Brewers

Ryan Hanigan rounds 3rd after hitting a 3-run home run,
Sunday vs. Milwaukee.  Cincinnati ended up winning 12-3.

By: Coop


The Cincinnati Reds were hosting the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. The Reds were looking to complete the sweep, and go to 3-0 on the year.  If they were going to reach 3-0, Bronson Arroyo would need to look like he did in his last Spring Training start, and the Reds offense would have to get some damage done again Randy Wolf, who has been a Reds killer throughout his career.  Well, Bronson looked great, and so did the Reds offense.  The Reds won 12-3, here is how.


In the 1st inning, the lead-off man, Rickie Weeks, who hit a home run in game 1, went yard.  A solo home run, and the Brewers were up 1-0 early on.


The Reds would answer back in the 2nd when Johnny Gomes hit a long one to left center, Jonny's first hit of the season, and the game was tied at 1.  Paul Janish was not a fan of the tie, so in the same inning he hit an RBI single to plate Jay Bruce, 2-1 Cincinnati on top.


In the 3rd inning, the pitcher, Randy Wolf, hit a double, then Rickie Weeks would bring him home with a double of his own.  The game was tied at 2.


The Redlegs would answer back in the 4th when Drew Stubbs reached on an infield single, Ryan Hanigan would score, the score was 3-2.  Same inning, Brandon Phillips hit his first homer of the year, it was a 3-run jack to left, 6-2.


Then in the 5th inning, Ryan Hanigan hit a solo home run to put Cincy up by 5, 7-2.


In the top of the 6th, Ryan Braun went yard off Bronson Arroyo, 7-3 the score.


In the 6th, Scott Rolen hit a sac fly to bring in Brandon Phillips to put the Reds back up by 5.  Still in the 6th, with two men on, Ryan Hanigan hit his 2nd home run of the game, and Cincinnati had an 11-3 lead.


In the 7th, Miguel Cairo hit an RBI single to center, Heisey would score, 12-3 the score, and that's how she finished. 


While Hanigan was the star of the game, Bronson Arroyo can not be overlooked.  Arroyo went 7 innings, gave up 6 hits, 3 earned runs, did not walk a batter, and fanned 5, he got the win.  A nice outing for a guy who has mononucleosis, if you ask me.  Also in this game, Reds fans got to see Aroldis Chapman for the first time this season, as he had a 1-2-3 inning in the 9th, reaching a top speed of 103 mph.  


So the Reds drink the brew, and sweep Milwaukee.  They will next play host to the Houston Astros.  The first game of that series will be Tuesday at 7:10 PM ET, you can catch the game on Fox Sports Ohio.