ChickenWyngz

Solid battling at bat by Votto there, but I’d be interested in knowing how many times Votto and Suarez have gone back to back striking out looking this year. Miserable to have 2, 3, 4 coming up and suddenly have 2 outs without a ball in play. If the Reds are going to stay in it for the duration, and I think they can, those innings need to be add on innings. Not 1-2-3.

6-3 Redlegs Final! Solid start to the series. Someone pick up my slack on updates tomorrow. I won’t be around.

Lorenzen gets into some trouble with 1 out, but Iglesias comes in and gets a line out to Suarez that allowed him to double the man off second. That ball was smashed. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Looks like Casali was injured blocking a ball earlier. He finished the inning but was then pinch hit for and is out of the game now. Sure hope Casali isn’t hurt badly with Barnhart already out. How huge has Kyle Farmer turned out to be? He’s played 3/4 infield positions, and has saved the Reds a 40 man roster spot the last few weeks with Barnhart out.

Lorenzen singles into right to score Farmer. 6-3 Reds.

Now that huge play letting that ball fall in foul territory coming back to bite them. It’s nice to see that despite what we read, other teams than the Reds make mistakes.

Rizzo and Cubs catcher let a ball fall between them in foul territory that should have been out #3. Farmer then doubles down the line to score Ervin. 5-3 Reds.

As I’m reading this I watch a passed ball against the cubs move a runner up into scoring position. Nice to see other major league teams make mistakes too.

Ervin leads off the 8th with a PH single, and moves up to second on a PB by Cubs catcher. Scooter grounds to 2B to move Ervin to third. Insurance run is 90 feet away with 1 out and Iglesias at the plate. Let’s go Reds!

Lorenzen gets out of trouble to salvage a scoreless 7th. 4-3 Reds going into the 8th.

Error by Bode at 3B! Winker scores, 4-3 Reds. Puig then stings a ball to Baez for the inning ending DP. Need a quick inning here and to come back and tack on another.

Casali leads off the 7th with a homer, Winker singles, Senzel reaches on a Baez error. Tied 3-3, 2 on and no outs with Votto at the plate. HAVE to take advantage.

Casali with a homer. 3-3.

Puig with a wind blown homer to left. 3-2.

Down 3-1 after 4.

Schwarber with an absolute bomb. 1-1

Suarez with a bomb to left-center. Reds up 1-0.

The Reds (42-48) 6.5 games out of first place take on the division leading Chicago Cubs in Wrigley for a 3 game series. This series in itself can go a very long way toward deciding if the Reds are buyers or sellers at the deadline. Leave this series 9.5 out and you’d better sell, but leave 3.5 out and you have a decision to make. Let’s go Redlegs! Get me all 3!

Is there somewhere to see the Reds rank on giving up hits in 2 strike counts? They have to be in the bottom half.

Yikes. Been a bad 2 days.

The Redlegs really need a win today. Need to go into the break with a win, and some positive energy.

Well.... that hit the fan quickly.

Puig with an opposite field smash to make it 2-1 Reds in the bottom of the first. Thom calls it as a line drive to left field... Throws out an unprofessional “o my God” last week, and the week before talked about Addison Russel having to “suffer” through a suspension he served due to domestic violence allegations. Sometimes I’d rather mute the game than hear Thom love hearing himself talk.

Finally, what we all knew was confirmed. Buster Olney put out a tweet with a link from FanGraphs ranking MLB teams in baserunning. The Reds were #30.

Great job @Jumper_Dad battling through some stiffness to get the huge series win! I agree that @sumoroyal has to be the starter for the Indians series.