Loading ...The Reds are back in Cincinnati! After what can only be described as a disastrous road trip, the Reds return to Great American Ballpark today with their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy.
Fortunately, Aaron Harang is scheduled to pitch for the Reds today in an early-evening tilt, the opener of a nine-game homestand.
The Reds only have 25 games remaining, 13 of which are at home. Opponents are the Giants (3), Pirates (6), Padres (3), Cubs (7), Astros (3), and Marlins (3). The destiny of this club remains in their own hands — they’re only 2.5 games back in the Wild Card race — but we must be honest that it will be difficult to climb over the three teams that are ahead of them at this point.
I’m not giving up on this team yet. Discuss the game here, and let us know what you think of the Reds playoff chances right now.
Ramon Ortiz (DC) and Jason Marquis (STL), of all people, are currently locked in a 0-0 pitching duel. Ortiz has a no-hitter through 7.
Whoops – Austin Kearns just hit a 2-run homer in the 7th. 2-0 Washington over St. Louis.
This is a crazy game. Ortiz still has a no-hitter through 8, and he just hit a solo HR on the first relief pitch from Jorge Sosa to put his team up 3-0.
DC tacks on another and leads 4-0 going to the 9th.
Aaron Miles leads off with a single to end the no-hit bid by Ramon Ortiz. After the runner is erased in a doubleplay, Pujols homers to avoid the shutout. It appears from the gameday that he very nearly hit that ball out of the city. Hoo-ah.
So STL has now lost.
So, is anyone not concerned about the stretch run of this season?
If you aren’t concerned, you aren’t paying attention. But I’m sticking with these guys. They’ve surprised us all year, perhaps they’ve saved their biggest surprise for the last few weeks of the year.
Aurilia ties it up!!!
5 hits and 5 walks through 5 innings result in a 4-2 Reds lead. Harang with 6 K’s through 5.
Harang’s really mowing ‘em down. 9 K’s through 7, ten in a row retired, and only at 84 pitches thrown.
make that 9 ks through 7 IP for harang. just 84 pitches as well…
Shazzbot. Bonds homers to tie it up. Offense needs to start it up again.
AND Griffey injures himself. I swear to god, I was thinking earlier in this game how nice it was to not have to hold your breath every time Griffey exerts himself.
Come on, Harang, this is the last out you need to get . . .
A 2-run tying homer, followed by a double, Jr’s out hurt. Damn, they’re really trying to have all the wheels fall off at once.
5 of the 6 hits given up by Harang today have been for extra bases.
Okay, out of that one. No extra innings today – don’t expose the bullpen.
Brian Wilson in to pitch. Wouldn’t It Be Nice to pull out a win here?
Thanks, Ryan Freel – for being in centerfield to take away that basehit.
Another day of dead boards here… Guess a lot of the Reds fans gave up.
A win today would help to bring some people back in I bet! Let’s finish it here in the 9th!
Bottom of the ninth – can they pull out a victory before Ryan Franklin is called upon?
Aurilia and Hatteberg due up here – the Dynamic Duo. . .
Griffey’s injury is said to be a dislocated toe.
Nothing too big, then – a little time off and Griffey’ll be as good as ne– well, in as good a condition as he can be.
Sigh — extra innings. When do bullpen reinforcements get called up?
CeeKeR – what’s your name mean?
Wow – Narron leaves Weathers in! I like that, considering the alternative – really hope it works out and it encourages further good decision-making.
Just my initials, made into an “almost” word. I use CeeKeR now as my online handle for blogs and whatnot.
Yeah, my handle for all Reds-related stuff has now become uniform. Not sure it fits me – I used it once to post a long rebuttal to an editorial post I disagreed strongly with, and just kept it. But whatever. Devils are red, right?
Dammit. Weathers gives it up, 2-out 2-strike homer by Hillebrand. 5-4 Giants.
haha, sure they are.
Giants go ahead on a Shea (I hate the Blue Jays) Hillenbrand homer. Bonds up now, already homered once.
Phillips — LaRue — Pinch-hitter (Ross?) due up in the bottom of the tenth. Don’t give up any more
It might be legitimate to say that this half inning (bottom of the 10th, Reds down 5-4) will determine the rest of the Reds season. A stirring comeback, perhaps they can patch some wins together and work their way back to the top of the standings…a loss would send them further down, and most likely, into a tailspin and out of it.
Think LaRue’s got another hit in him? Or has he collected his allotment for the month now?
Phillips just gets under one. One pitch, one out.
Larue isn’t due for roughly another 6 weeks..
Here’s hoping he gets on somehow, and Ross knocks him in…
Nevermind, as a type this Larue strikes out looking… Let’s go Ross!
Called third strike. Two out.
Ross 4-9 as a pinch hitter, 2 of the 4 hits were homeruns though!
Called third strike. Three out.
Stuck out, looking.
Reds lose a 2 run lead in the 8th…give up a homerun in the 10th…
Makes me sick.
at least I didn’t have to stay awake ’til 2 in the morning to hear the ending of this loss….
Reds seem to not care anymore.
Hey, that’s right! Now I can listen to all of the losses without showing up to work the next day red-eyed and ready to jump all over anyone that crosses me.
Seriously, this is painful. They got us believing just enough to let us be crushed by a collapse. If the Reds can’t make it, I’m rooting for the Marlins to sneak their way into the playoffs.
I have to go with (as much as it pains me) my homestate Phillies… If nothing else, Howard has single handedly carried my fantasy baseball team, so I guess have some connection to Philly.
I give up.
Please send me another bucket. I have filled my collection with vomit. This is just pathetic. I will not give up until they are mathematically eliminated but I need to see a little streak to get my head back up. These last couple weeks have been so dismal and the Reds haven’t really given me much to work with as far as defending their postseason chances to my laughing friends.
DA, how can you root for the Marlins???
Seriously, do they deserve anything they get? They don’t even deserve to be a .500 ballclub. I mean Cincy has trouble filling the stands, but GABP is like a U Michigan home football game on any given day compared to a Marlins home game. Their “fans” don’t deserve shit. Let alone a playoff team.
Anyhoo… putting the misery of thwe past 2 weeks behind and assuming they can break out of their current funk sometime soon, the Reds have a very legitimate chance. With 24 games left to be played, making up 3 should not be all that difficult. The West will continue to beat each other up over this last month (they have done it all year. No one in that division has even shown signs of life until the post-deadline Dodgers who have run away with things. I honestly think that it will either be the Phillies or the Reds playing in October. This Cincy team needs to double their time practicing, reviewing tape and doing everything in thier power to win every game from here on out.
To build everyones hope right out of the gate with an awesome April and reclaiming 1st in the division 3 or 4 different times and then to out of nowhere fall off the face of the earth is just unfair to all of us fans. To be consistently 3 games up in the WC and then drop to 3 under in the blink of an eye is utterly disgusting.
I will say though, that if they were to turn it around and get hot again (which they are fully capable of doing) it would make this season just that more exciting and nail-biting. It would certainly prove to be exemplary of this entire season (always ready to surprise).
To say they don’t care is a little over the top I’ve realized. I mean I’m sure they want to be there more than any of us want them there. The added $$$ they make from post-season play is enough to make them want it and who the hell doesn’t want to win?!?!
they just need to get on a roll and stay on it. It’s gotta happen soon (Please let it happen soon……..)
Season slipping away.
Justin – I’d root for the Marlins as a symbol of how bitter and disillusioned I am.
Note: I’d be rooting for the players (bunch of kids & rookie manager), against the commissioner (for his continual bs about contraction & needing new stadiums), and not for their fans or the franchise (which, you’re right, doesn’t deserve it – and especially their owner).
I’m not there yet, only if and when elimination day comes.
I’m with you, DA. I really like those Florida kids. I could not care less about their fans or ownership.
After looking at the divisional standings and having to search a column for where we stand in the wildcard (gulp), I am still holding out a glimmer of hope, although it is growing dimmer and dimmer. Of course so many people picked this team to finish dead last or close to it in the division, so I am grateful that we have been provided this type of excitement until the NFL season takes over. I’m just believing for one more hot streak….just one more really good streak….
I’m sorry but that team in Miama should not go anywhere. As for the young talent on their team… I hope they all make it to a town that gives a shit about them over the course of their career, because it sure as hell won’t ever be Miami. The Florida Marlins have won 2 World Series in the last decade and still don’t have a fan base. If the people in their home-town don’t care, why should anyone else. Perhaps they should move, I know plenty of cities that would surely welcome them with open arms.
Yeah, I think it is great when young players succeed, but not when they don’t have a local following. They just came back from 20 games under .500 and the seats are still empty. They already tarped many of the outfield seats, accepting that they will not be occupied this year (or any year).
So no, I could never root for the Marlins, I don’t care who the hell they have on their team because every win is a waste and that is the way I see it. How many teams like ours would kill to have had that recent success. Sorry I feel so strongly on the subject.