08/28/07 - 08/30/07: Reds at Pirates Series Preview/Review

[Cyclone792]

Well, the Reds are now close enough to make things interesting for the time being so let's take a look at the upcoming Pirates series at a glance.

So far this season, the Reds are 7-5 against the Pirates with 79 runs scored and 66 runs allowed. The last time the Reds visited Pittsburgh was August 3-4th (with August 5th being rained out), and the Reds won both games by scores of 13-4 and 9-8 (10 innings), respectively.

Eh, why not ... I'll predict that the Reds take three out of four. And taking three out of four is vital as far as continuing to make the NL Central race a tad interesting.

Reds (60-70, 27-37 road) at Pirates (57-72, 29-36 home)

Tues 5:05pm Ramirez (0-1, 6.35, 74 ERA+) at Gorzelanny (12-7, 3.40, 129 ERA+) FSN/WLW
Tues 8:35pm Arroyo (7-13, 4.55, 103 ERA+) at Maholm (10-14, 4.39, 100 ERA+) FSN/WLW
Wed 7:05pm Harang (13-3, 3.68, 128 ERA+) at Snell (8-10, 3.93, 112 ERA+) FSN/WLW
Thur 7:05pm Belisle (7-8, 5.39, 87 ERA+) at Morris (8-8, 4.40, 100 ERA+) FSN/WLW


RS/G OPS+ BA OBP SLG HR 2B BB SB

Reds 4.90 99 .263 .333 .438 176 223 434 80
Pirates 4.55 95 .260 .322 .410 124 258 373 45


RA/G ERA ERA+ DIPS ERA HR/9 K/9 BB/9 K/BB

Reds 5.35 4.99 94 4.40 1.18 6.53 3.06 2.13
Pirates 5.05 4.71 93 4.31 1.03 6.26 3.21 1.94

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers.jsp?c_id=cin

August 28 - Game One

Reds: In 4 1/3 innings against Atlanta on Thursday, Ramirez gave up five earned runs and five hits with four walks and one strikeout, and he left blowing a 5-1 lead to the Braves. The Reds rebounded to win the game, 9-7, in 12 innings. Ramirez hurt himself with back-to-back one-out walks in the fifth, before giving up Chipper Jones' three-run homer that tied the game.

Pirates: Gorzelanny has come on strong in August, winning three of his past four starts while posting a 2.67 ERA. He won a lopsided game against the Rockies on Wednesday, taking 11 runs of support from the Pirates' season-high six home runs and stifling Colorado at Coors Field, allowing just one earned run on six hits and three walks while striking out five in six innings. Gorzelanny is now 8-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 14 road starts this season and is undefeated against National League West opponents, boasting a 5-0 record and a 2.27 ERA in seven starts against the division.

August 28 - Game Two

Reds: It took Arroyo 34 pitches to get through the first inning, but he finished 5 1/3 innings for a 4-2 win over the Braves on Wednesday. The right-hander, pitching in high 90s temperatures, gave up two earned runs -- both on home runs -- and six hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Brian McCann snapped a scoreless game in the Atlanta fourth with a leadoff homer to right field. Arroyo's last batter, Andruw Jones, hit a solo homer to left field in the sixth. Arroyo also got a key single in the fifth that scored two runs.

Pirates: Maholm was in rare form against the Rockies on Thursday, holding them to one run in seven innings to secure the series win. He threw all his pitches for strikes, and he was especially effective with his sinker. He took command by throwing first-pitch strikes and getting ahead early in counts, forcing the Rockies to expand the strike zone. Maholm gave the Pirates seven innings, scattering seven hits and two walks while striking out five. He escaped his only serious threat -- a first-and-second, no-outs situation with a one-run lead -- by striking out the side in the second.

August 29

Reds: Harang allowed three earned runs and eight hits over seven innings with one walk and five strikeouts in the Reds' 5-3 win over the Marlins on Friday. Over the right-hander's 14 starts, Cincinnati is 13-1. Harang has 16 quality starts this season, and he became the first Reds pitcher since Tom Seaver in 1981 to win 13 of his first 16 decisions.

Pirates: Though he didn't factor in the decision in his last start, on Friday against the Astros, Snell continues to be a rock in the Pirates' rotation. With yet another quality outing, he showed superb command of his fastball and slider to keep the Astros off-balance all night. In five of his seven innings of work, Snell faced the minimum, and overall he showed very solid efficiency with his pitch count. This will be Snell's fourth start against the Reds this season. He has a 1-2 record and a 4.26 ERA through the first three outings.

August 30

Reds: Belisle pitched seven solid innings before tiring in the eighth on Saturday against Florida in his first start since Aug. 10, as he had been down in Triple-A Louisville. He returned to replace ineffective left-hander Phil Dumatrait in the rotation and responded by racking up a career-high nine strikeouts before giving up three runs without retiring any of three batters he faced in the eighth.

Pirates: The Pirates have learned that they can count on a few things when Morris takes the mound: He will pitch deep into the game, and he will keep his team in it. Also, after working to use his height to get more leverage on his sinker, Morris has been able to rely less on his breaking ball and mix that sinker into his combination of pitches more frequently, producing improved results. His fastball command has also been extremely sharp lately. In two starts against the Reds this season, Morris is 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA.

[Falls City Beer]

The difference it seems in the Pirates/Reds matchups of the last 7-8 seasons has been the offense--the Reds' offense has more often than not been the thing to put them over the top against the Pirates. The pitching staffs of each team have been about equally awful over the same time span.

[Caveat Emperor]

In terms of starting slots, the Reds caught a gigantic break having Harang's turn fall on Wednesday after the double-header, where he has the opportunity to give the bullpen a good day of rest with a solid 7/8IP outing.

[Heath]

If the Reds get swept I'm blaming Cyclone.....

:evil:

[GAC]

If they ever are "entertaining" a shot at this division then this is a team they have to take at least 2 of 3.

The Reds have 30 games left. 24 of those are against division foes, with the remaining 6 against the Mets and SF.

Alot of inter-divison play goes on over the next 5 weeks. At least their recent play has made it interesting (and fun).

[TOBTTReds]

If they ever are "entertaining" a shot at this division then this is a team they have to take at least 2 of 3.

The Reds have 30 games left. 24 of those are against division foes, with the remaining 6 against the Mets and SF.

Alot of inter-divison play goes on over the next 5 weeks. At least their recent play has made it interesting (and fun).

Hey hey. Plus one for unbalanced scheduling. I like that.

[WVRedsFan]

As much as I hope Jason is right (and having a wife from Pittsburgh always makes these game important to me), I have the feeling that the weakness of Lizard and Belisle in the mix makes this a 2-2 series. With the club resting Griffey and Dunn in the double header and the freaky way Arroyo pitches, we had better hope the offense is clicking. The return of David Ross (the almost automatic out) at catcher also speaks volumes. As seen in past games with the Buccos, we'd better score some runs. Having Ross in the 8-hole handicaps that somewhat. And you have to believe that we'll see our share of Stanton and Guardado, too.

I'll keep my fingers crossed. Tightly.

[37red]

Boy WV, you have the realistic view which puts a damper on the series. Too realistic. Ross is almost an automatic out, but would they really rest Dunn and Jr.? Wouldn't they see that this is a good opportunity to pick up a few games? I think Arroyo is a good pitcher and if the offense does anything at all to support him, which they rarely do, he'll put a win on the board. Maybe too optimistic, but I think and hope it turns out to be realistic. And maybe, just maybe, Ross will have one of those snaps where he breaks out of his funk and hits a few dingers(sp).

These hopeful series are hard on my heart and hopefulness. But hey, it's hot out and I could use an excuse to drink some beer and cheer.

[Chip R]

If they ever are "entertaining" a shot at this division then this is a team they have to take at least 2 of 3.


But they have to play 4 games. :mooner:

[jojo]

But they have to play 4 games. :mooner:

I think he's assuming the game Harang is pitching is in the bag already....


:cool:

[cincrazy]

As much as I hope Jason is right (and having a wife from Pittsburgh always makes these game important to me), I have the feeling that the weakness of Lizard and Belisle in the mix makes this a 2-2 series. With the club resting Griffey and Dunn in the double header and the freaky way Arroyo pitches, we had better hope the offense is clicking. The return of David Ross (the almost automatic out) at catcher also speaks volumes. As seen in past games with the Buccos, we'd better score some runs. Having Ross in the 8-hole handicaps that somewhat. And you have to believe that we'll see our share of Stanton and Guardado, too.

I'll keep my fingers crossed. Tightly.

Mackanin's already gone on record as stating that some of the "concessions" that he'd normally make (which I took as giving Dunn and Griffey a game off) he won't make for this DH, because the team needs as many wins as possible. So, if I had to guess, both will be in the lineup for both games tonight.

[Matt700wlw]

2 weeks ago this was a pretty meaningless series....and a meaningless doubleheader...

[jojo]

2 weeks ago this was a pretty meaningless series....and a meaningless doubleheader...

And it still pretty much is except in the minds of some Reds fans.

[RichRed]

Mackanin's already gone on record as stating that some of the "concessions" that he'd normally make (which I took as giving Dunn and Griffey a game off) he won't make for this DH, because the team needs as many wins as possible. So, if I had to guess, both will be in the lineup for both games tonight.

Guess not. Per C. Trent:

Hopper cf
Keppinger ss
Griffey rf
Phillips 2b
Cantu 1b
Encarnacion 3b
Valentin c
Ellison lf
Ramirez p

Pete said Gonzalez, Ross and Dunn will be playing the second game.

[Matt700wlw]

And it still pretty much is except in the minds of some Reds fans.

In the end, it probably is....but at least now it's interesting.

[jojo]

In the end, it probably is....but at least now it's interesting.

I think the Reds have been interesting for pretty much this whole month. I fully expect to see the Reds sweep tonight and outscore the pirates by about ten. When was the last time you could settle into a game and truly feel that? Sooner or later though, the clock is gonna strike midnight on the pen.

[Matt700wlw]

I think the Reds have been interesting for pretty much this whole month. I fully expect to see the Reds sweep tonight and outscore the pirates by about ten. When was the last time you could settle into a game and truly feel that? Sooner or later though, the clock is gonna strike midnight on the pen.

You can't win 8-7 every night....

[Falls City Beer]

I think the Reds have been interesting for pretty much this whole month. I fully expect to see the Reds sweep tonight and outscore the pirates by about ten. When was the last time you could settle into a game and truly feel that? Sooner or later though, the clock is gonna strike midnight on the pen.

I think the Bucs light up Ramirez. But the Reds will split.

[Highlifeman21]

I think the Bucs light up Ramirez. But the Reds will split.

I guarantee Ramirez gets lit up.

He has as much business pitching at the MLB level as Phil Dumatrait.

[Matt700wlw]

Lovely crowd

[remdog]

Any one with a clue how the Buckos scored?

Rem

[remdog]

Never mind. I thought I'd clicked on the Game Thread. My bad.

Why is this ploding piece stickied?

Rem