Dusty Baker flip-flopped Joey Votto and Corey Patterson in the order, but it didn’t help much, as the only Reds run scored on a solo homer by Edwin Encarnacion.  Meanwhile, Bronson Arroyo gave up six Dodger runs in six and one-third innings.  Brandon Phillips had two hits and turned a spectacular double play.  James Loney and Juan Pierre drove in two runs each, and starter Derek Lowe picked up the win for the Dodgers.

Norris Hopper, activated from the DL before the game, pinch-hit for Patterson and played a couple of innings in center.  Hopper had a single and a base on balls, but was stranded in scoring position both times.  To make room for Hopper on the roster, Homer Bailey was optioned back to Louisville.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, a better alternative to OPS.

Kevin Youkilis and Coco Crisp hit back-to-back homers in the top of the tenth to beat Mike Lincoln and the Reds, 6-4.  Edwin Encarnacion had sent the game into extra innings with a two-out, two-strike, bottom-of-the ninth homer off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.  Earlier solo homers by Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips, and a pinch-hit RBI single by Javier Valentin, accounted for the rest of the Reds runs.  Tim Wakefield and Edinson Volquez, the starting pitchers, duelled for seven innings before turning the game over to the bullpens.

Before the game, Danny Herrera was sent back to Louisville when Gary Majewski was reinstated from the bereavement list.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an improvement over OPS.

Johnny Cueto walked eight and gave up six earned runs in five innings, while the Reds offense managed only three hits off Braden Looper, who pitched not only his first career shutout, but his first career complete game.  The defense wasn’t any better, as Cueto threw one away in the infield, and Jay Bruce dropped one in the outfield.  Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and even cowboy Jason LaRue homered for the Cardinals, who cruised to a 10-0 victory.

 Jolbert Cabrera, who was brought up from Louisville when Jerry Hairston Jr. went on the 15-day DL, made his first start for the Reds, playing second base in place of the slumping Brandon Phillips.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

Lefty Cole Hamels pitched a complete game three-hitter as the Phillies shut out the Reds 5-0 to win the series three games to one.  Homer Bailey gave up all five Phillies runs in six and one-third innings, but only two of the runs were earned, as the Reds committed three errors on the day.

Before the game, Danny Herrera was optioned to Louisville to make room on the roster for Bailey.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

Edinson Volquez got his eighth win of the season, giving up only two hits while striking out eight through seven innings.  Joey Votto broke up a Brett Myers no-hit bid in the seventh, and drove in both Reds runs with a pair of run-scoring doubles.  Brandon Phillips stole two bases, one of them standing up after being picked off first, and scored both Reds runs.  Phillips and Votto also made a pair of nice defensive plays.  Francisco Cordero pitched the final inning and a third to record his twelfth save of the year.

Ken Griffey Jr. was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game with a sore knee.  Corey Patterson, who was called up before the game when Ryan Freel was placed on the 15-day DL, was in the lineup instead.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

Phillies right-hander Adam Eaton frustrated Reds hitters for six and two-thirds innings, Chase Utley drove in yet another run, Pat Burrell hit his 14th homer of the year, and Brad Lidge earned his 15th save as the Phillies beat the Reds for the second night in a row, 3-2.

Aaron Harang pitched credibly for the Reds but was once again the victim of poor run support.  Edwin Encarnacion appeared to have finally hit his way out of his extended slump, hitting a solo homer and a triple, and scoring both Reds runs.  Ryan Freel singled, stole a base, made a run-saving catch, threw a bat into the crowd, and suffered a hamstring injury.  Diminutive screw-balling lefty Danny Herrera made an impressive debut for the Reds, striking out Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell with the bases loaded.  Herrera was called up before the game, when Kent Mercker was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

Ex-Red Phil Dumatrait struck out a career-high nine of his former teammates, giving up only one unearned run in seven innings (also a career high) as the Pirates beat the Reds 7-2, snapping a nine-game home winning streak by the Reds.

Aaron Harang, coming off his masterful emergency-relief appearance in Sunday’s game, struggled with both his velocity and his location, giving up six runs on ten hits in only four innings, the big blow being a two-run shot by Jason Bay, his 13th of the year.  Harang’s successor, Jeremy Affeldt, was greeted rudely by Xavier Nady, who hit his ninth on the first pitch of the fifth inning.

Jerry Hairston Jr. celebrated his 32nd birthday with a bunt single, a double and a run scored, but was doubled off second in the ninth inning on a line drive to the right fielder, a base-running mistake that was magnified when Brandon Phillips followed with a solo home run, his tenth of the year, off Matt Capps.

Andy Phillips made his first start for the Reds, playing third base in place of the slumping Edwin Encarnacion.  Phillips made a nice defensive play in the fifth, ranging into foul ground and firing across the diamond to nip Jason Michaels at first.

Before the game, Matt Belisle was optioned to Louisville and Kent Mercker came off the DL. Mercker pitched an inning tonight.

Josh Fogg is scheduled to make Saturday’s start in place of Belisle.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

The Cincinnati Reds knocked out Pittsburgh Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny in the first inning as they scored six first inning runs and then went on to beat the Pirates by the score of 9-1.

David Ross went 2-4 with a two run home run and four rbi in the game.  Joey Votto had two rbi in the game as well as he continues to swing a good bat.  Jerry Hairston Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., Edwin Encarnacion all had one rbi in the game to help out.

Bronson Arroyo improved to 4-4 on the season as he pitched six innings to pick up the win.  Arroyo was very good as he only gave up three hits and one run in his six innings of action.  Mike Lincoln, David Weathers, and Bill Bray all pitched a scoreless inning of relief behind Arroyo.  Great job by all four pitchers!

We should also mention that Corey Patterson was sent down to Triple A before the game.

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Centerfielder Jay Bruce has been called up by the Cincinnati Reds.  Bruce will get most of the playing time in centerfield GM Walt Jocketty said.  I would imagine taht Corey Patterson will be released or demoted to Triple A.

It is now time for Bruce to show what he can do.  Can he hit the ball well enough at the big league level?  It looks like the Reds will give him that chance and they are hoping he won’t have any problems.

Jerry Hairston Jr. has been called up by the Cincinnati Reds as Juan Castro has been designated for assignment.  The Reds hope that Hairston Jr. can hit the ball like he was at Triple-A where he was batting .421 with three home runs, seven doubles, and three triples.

Castro was 0-10 this season with the Reds.

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