Reds get excellent pitching vs Astros in the series (with the exception of the 9th inning Saturday night,  where Hamilton and Graves gave up 6 hits and 5 runs between them — Hamilton charged with 4 of them).   Other than that,  27 innings, 5 runs, 3 earned (1.00 ERA).  No ground gained on the Cardinals , who also won 2 of 3.  Keeping pace with them while they play Philly and we play Houston is a good thing.    As of now:

StL   68-53 —      41(24h) left with: Pit 4(h), Phi 3(h),Cin 7(3h),Chi 7(3h),Mil 7(4h), Hou 7 (4h), Col 3, Arz 3 (h)
Hou  64-59  5   39(22h) left with: Cin 4(3h), Chi 3(h), SD 6(3h), LA 6(3h), Tex 1,Col 3(h), StL 7(4h), Mil 6(3h), SF 3
Cin   63-59  5.5      40(25h) left with: Hou 4 (1h), Arz 3, StL 7 (4h), Mil 6 (3h), Pit 7 (3h), Chi 7 (4h), Phl 3 (3h), Mon 3

Wild Card
LA   71-53  —  38(22h) left with: Fla 3(h), Atl 3(h),Arz 6(3h),Hou 6(3h), SF 7(4h),Col 6(2h), SD 7(4h)
SF   66-56  4    39(22h) left with: Fla1, NY 3(h), Mon3(h), Col 6(2h), Arz7(4h), LA7(3h), Mil3, SD 6 (4h), Hou 3(h)
Hou 64-59  6.5
Cin  63-59  7

The Reds have their last 26 games of the season against the Brewers,Pirates, Cubs, Phils , and Expos (half at home), so their next 7 against Houston and Arizona, 6 of those on the road,  are HUGE.  After that ,  there’s 4 at home against the Cardinals and 3 at St.Louis,  then the final 26.   Getting swept in Colorado,  and then at home by the D-Backs were hugely damaging to the Reds’ chances.  With 2 of those 3 in Cincinnati were against neither Johnson or Schilling,  the Reds realistically lost 4 games in the standings (should/could have won 4 of those 6),  and been 1.5 back and 3 in the wild card instead of 5.5 and 7

The Reds have to lose no more ground by their series with  the Cards,  and preferrably,  gain a couple during their upcoming week in Arizona and Houston while the Cardinals play in St.Louis vs Pittsburgh and Philadelphia (not likely).  If they somehow can, wining 3 of 4 in Cinci will still laeave them 3.5 back with 3 left in St. Louis.   Yikes!  The only hope for some grace after that is that the Cardinals will have 7 against Houston, 3 IN Colorado,  and 3 with Arizona among their final 27 games.

Another goofed up, out of sync,  set of comments (first 3 comments here) really belong to the  This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged sports by dlatureFB. Bookmark the permalink.