Bronson Arroyo pitched six shutout innings and hit a solo homer, David Ross got Edwin Encarnacion home with a perfectly-executed suicide squeeze, and Brandon Phillips hit a bases-loaded triple to provide the final margin and get reliever Jared Burton his third win of the season.

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

Hey Reds fans, Cliff here filling in for Dave who wasn’t able to watch the game last night.  The Cincinnati Reds had problems with the St. Louis Cardinals last night as they lost 7-2.  The Reds were behind 5-2 after four innings and did not score the rest of the game as they lost the first game of three against the Cardinals.

Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey was roughed up for eight hits and five runs in only 3 2/3 innings.  Bailey is now 0-2 on the season with a 6.30 era.  Bailey gave up two home runs in the third inning which pretty much forced him to leave the game.  He walked three batters and just didn’t have good control of the ball.

Relief pitcher Mike Lincoln tossed 2 1/3 inning of scoreless baseball before he turned things over to David Weathers who allowed one run.  Jeremy Affeldt pitched the final two innings of the game and also gave up one run.

The two runs that the Reds did get came in the fourth inning when Joey Votto went deep for a two run home run.  Adam Dunn scored on the home run by Votto.  The Reds offense only had five hits on the game while striking out five times and leaving 16 runners on base.

The same two teams will battle it out again on Wednesday night and it will be Johnny Cueto on the mound for the Reds and Braden Looper on the mound for the Cardinals.  Reds Blog

Ken Griffey Jr. got home run #600 out of the way in the first inning, and the Reds never trailed after that.  Edinson Volquez had yet another quality start and got his ninth win against only two defeats.  Reds catcher Paul Bako broke out of an extended slump by hitting two homers off left-handers.  Brandon Phillips also homered for the Reds.

Jerry Hairston Jr. broke his thumb sliding headfirst into second, and is likely headed for the disabled list.  Jeff Keppinger and Norris Hopper were both scheduled to begin rehab assignments tonight.

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

The day after a demoralizing defeat, the Reds managed only three hits off a Double-A pitcher (Ryan Tucker, who was called up before the game) and three Marlin relievers, as Florida cruised to a 9-2 victory.  Aaron Harang‘s season-long miseries continued as he gave up eight runs (seven earned) on eleven hits in five and one-third, to slip to 2 and 9 on the year.  Hanley Ramirez hit two home runs and drove in four runs for the Marlins.  Corey Patterson, a late-inning replacement for Ken Griffey Jr. (still at 599 and holding) hit a solo shot for the Reds.

With two out in the bottom of the ninth, Reds closer Francisco Cordero surrendered a 3-run walkoff home run to former Red Cody Ross, as the Marlins beat the Reds 8-7.  It was Ross’s 11th homer of the season, and Cordero’s third blown save.  Another ex-Red, Jorge Cantu, also hit his 11th of the year.  Luis Gonzalez also homered and drove in three runs for the Fish.

Andy Phillips, who started at third base in place of an injured Edwin Encarnacion, drove in three runs for the Reds with a bases loaded double.  Table-setters Jerry Hairston Jr. and Jay Bruce had two hits apiece, and Adam Dunn homered for the Reds, his 16th of the year.  Bronson Arroyo struggled through four and two-thirds but did not figure in the decision.

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

Jay Bruce drove in three runs, and Brandon Phillips and Jerry Hairston Jr. drove in two apiece as the Reds scored early and often off Andrew Miller and a succession of Marlin relievers, and coasted to an 11-3 win.  Ex-Reds Jorge Cantu (two homers and a double) and Cody Ross (also with two hits) provided most of the Marlins offense.  Reds rookie right-hander Johnny Cueto evened his record at 5-5 with a quality start.

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.