Reds vs. Pirates Series (5/1-5/3)

[Eric_the_Red]

Both teams are 11-10, .524, tied for 3rd in the NL Central.

Probable starters for the series:

Friday 7:05
Bronson Arroyo, RHP (3-1, 6.48)
vs.
Zach Duke, LHP (3-1, 2.43)

Saturday 7:05
Micah Owings, RHP (1-2, 3.78)
vs.
Ross Ohlendorf, RHP (2-2, 3.24)

Sunday 1:35
Johnny Cueto, RHP (1-1, 2.19)
vs.
Jeff Karstens, RHP (1-0, 5.40)

Notes:
- Duke is 2-2 with a 4.05 ERA in five career starts against the Reds.
- Ohlendorf has allowed three earned runs in 6 2/3 career innings against Cincinnati.
- Karstens has not faced the Reds.
- Arthur Rhodes is 1 game behind Mike Marshall and Roger McDowell for 68th all-time (722 g).
- The Reds are 9-6 in the NL Central this year.
- Joey Votto is the only Reds player to play in every inning of every game.
- Edinson Volquez was voted as the Fan's Choice Bobblehead giveaway on 7/18 vs. Milwaukee (41.5% of the votes).
- The Adam Rosales call up was the Reds' first roster move of the season, on the 23rd day of the season. This was the longest time to start a season without a roster move since 1985 (37th day).
- The Reds are 970-1016 all-time vs. the Pirates (1-1 in 2009)
- The Reds are 31-30 all-time at PNC Park.

[Eric_the_Red]

I would predict 2 out of 3 for the Reds, with each game getting progressively easier. If the Reds win tonight, we could be headed towards a sweep.

[jmac]

The Reds need to win games like these though the Pirates have been palying better. I am glad Reds miss Maholm.

[PedroBourbon]

We really need 2 of 3 here or a sweep. Our lackluster braves/Astros series at home was a real downer after a stellar roadtrip.

[ian_madden]

Pittsburgh plays a better game than we do, unfortunately we have the same mold. They play better small ball with better defense. And Morgan is rapidly moving up there with Jose Lind as my all time favorite Pirates (That is of course if I had to pick my fav. Pirates.:thumbdown) If we win 2 out of 3 I will be surprised and it will fuel my drive, and excitement about this team. I will be happy with a 500 road trip.:thumbup:

[REDblooded]

Key to this series...

We only face one lefty.

[ChatterRed]

Yeah, I'm expecting a loss tonight, although Bronson sometimes surprises. I like the Owings and Cueto matchups, if they continue to pitch well. Glad we miss the lefties and Maholm. Then again, they miss Volquez and Harang.

[xavr1]

If we can win tonight, I am calling the sweep. We are playing well on the road and someone needs to be the first to remind the Pirates that they are the Pirates. The key question: Which Bronson will we see tonight?

[bgwilly31]

SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP.

i officially hate the pirates. :thumbdown

[schmidty622]

One good thing is that Ryan Doumit is out. He murders us and would be a pretty hard guy for Arroyo to get around.

[bgwilly31]

So from what ive heard the pirates have been staying in games with their pitching.

So lets hope arroyo rebounds from his last start. Pretty excited for tonight. This is a big series for the reds.

[Eric_the_Red]

Weather forecast for Pittsburgh:

Friday
Showers & t'storms. High 69. Chance of rain 80%

Saturday
Cloudy w/a few showers. High 61. Chance of rain 30%.

Sunday
Few showers. High upper 50s. Chance of rain 30%.

[NeilHamburger]

Reds will miss both Doumit and Jack Wilson. Both are on the DL, they both kill the reds. That lineup they throw out now is Reds like in patheticness. I think I just made up a word but that's okay. With our pitching anything less then 2 of 3 should not happen.

[Shawn_RedsFan]

At lest 2 out of 3

Im disspointed in the lineup for tonight though
Per Fay:
Taveras cf, Hairston Jr. lf, Votto 1b, Phillips 2b, Bruce rf, Rosales 3b, Gonzalez ss, Hanigan c, Arroyo p. vs. LHP Duke.

[bigredbunter]

Anyone going over for any of the games this weekend?

I'm gonna try and make it to one of the Sat./ Sun. games--I rarely pass up a chance to see the Reds in PNC.

[Eric_the_Red]

At lest 2 out of 3

Im disspointed in the lineup for tonight though
Per Fay:
Taveras cf, Hairston Jr. lf, Votto 1b, Phillips 2b, Bruce rf, Rosales 3b, Gonzalez ss, Hanigan c, Arroyo p. vs. LHP Duke.

Not sure what else you want out of a lineup vs. LHP. You can't put Bruce 4th there.

[Knightro28]

Not sure what else you want out of a lineup vs. LHP. You can't put Bruce 4th there.

looks like a good lineup to me. best we can do against a lefty.

the one plus that we can take out of bronson starts is that hanigan is in. i think this kid is legit

[IndianaRed]

A win tonight would go along way towards a sweep, but I would take two out of three any series.

[Cant Touch This]

Lots of green, yellow, and red on the radar creeping up on Pittsburgh. I don't have a good feeling about the chances of getting this one in without a series of delays. This line has a history of producing severe storms, including a tornado (warning) east of Columbus.

[Eric_the_Red]

Bronson looked really good tonight, which the Reds needed as Duke looked nasty as well. Could we see the sweep?

[tbball10]

A sweep would be huge to rebound from the bad homestand, especially since the Cards have automatic wins this weekend vs. the Nats. I think we will hit Ohlendorf and Karstens hard this weekend and get the sweep!

[Red in Atl]

1/2 game lead in the wild card...sweet!:beerme:

[Red in Atl]

and the only thing that I didn't like about tonight was Gonzalez batting 7th...nothing but 8th for him

[xavr1]

Bronson looked really good tonight, which the Reds needed as Duke looked nasty as well. Could we see the sweep?

I called it before this game: if we won tonight we would sweep. Here's hoping I'm right for once! Man, 2 games over .500 feels good.

[GOYA]

At lest 2 out of 3

Im disspointed in the lineup for tonight though
Per Fay:
Taveras cf, Hairston Jr. lf, Votto 1b, Phillips 2b, Bruce rf, Rosales 3b, Gonzalez ss, Hanigan c, Arroyo p. vs. LHP Duke.



Not sure what else you want out of a lineup vs. LHP. You can't put Bruce 4th there.

McDonald is hitting LHP at .417 (5 for 12)
Hairston is hitting LHP at .160 (4 for 25)

Janish is hitting LHP at .429 (3 for 7)
AGon is hitting LHP at .056 (1 for 18)

It's pretty simple.

[mlh1981]

I was at the game last night, and I'm going again tonite

VERY few Reds fans there yesterday (or any fans in general)

Great pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense was the name of the game yesterday.

Hope to see Phillips come around. His HR last night--sign of him coming out of it perhaps?

[bigredbunter]

I was at the game last night, and I'm going again tonite

VERY few Reds fans there yesterday (or any fans in general)

Great pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense was the name of the game yesterday.

Hope to see Phillips come around. His HR last night--sign of him coming out of it perhaps?

Yeah--Keeping my fingers crossed about Phillips...Bronson looked great after the 1st. I was surprised at the relatively low attendance too. I'm trying to get there tonight and tomorrow (if the stars line up).

[fugowitribe]

I was at the game last night, and I'm going again tonite

VERY few Reds fans there yesterday (or any fans in general)

Great pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense was the name of the game yesterday.

Hope to see Phillips come around. His HR last night--sign of him coming out of it perhaps?

I'll see you there tonight....just got some front row outfield seats off of StubHub. I'll see if I can't "Fan Interfere" with a ball that Willy or Jay can't get to. I love seeing the Reds at PNC....What a ballpark!

[bgwilly31]

The reds pitching is HOT!

Even on mlb net last night. The announcer said and the reds getting some wins lately ....with their pitching>?

He's definitely not used to saying that over the years.

We've got owings tonight.

Im hoping im worng about him. Or at least be able to beat the pirates.

[ChatterRed]

Hope to see Phillips come around. His HR last night--sign of him coming out of it perhaps?

While watching the game last night, I was comparing Votto's approach vs. Phillips approach, with runners on base. Brandon always seems to be swinging for the fence, and Joey seems to be just trying to get a hit, but will jack it if he gets the right pitch. Brandon will try and jack anything, which is what I see as his problem.

I don't know what they're thinking obviously, but by watching.........it makes me wonder if Brandon is cursed by his 30/30 season and always trying to live back up to it?

[Knightro28]

McDonald is hitting LHP at .417 (5 for 12)
Hairston is hitting LHP at .160 (4 for 25)

Janish is hitting LHP at .429 (3 for 7)
AGon is hitting LHP at .056 (1 for 18)

It's pretty simple.

you are right about that. janish is very surprising (although 7 ab's is super small, it is sexy compared to 1 for 18)

[mlh1981]

Bigger crowd tonight at PNC, but what a strange one. It was obvious that many people were there just for the fireworks. Hardly anyone in the reserved bleacher section was interested in the game. They just kept trying to start the wave the entire game. Just as many people were wearing Steelers/Penguins gear as were wearing Pirates.

I saw the following things:
-a couple started smoking in the section next to me. Too bad it wasn't "common sense giveaway night" at the park *bangs head*
-a guy stood by the stairwell doing the whole talking on his cellphone/waving his arms thing. A gentlemen politely asked him to move, and the guy responded "if you have a problem with it pal, get better seats next time."
-a girl making out with one guy, and then turning right back around and lying in another guy's lap
-a guy slapping his girlfriend
-a guy peeing in his beercup

Like I said, strange crowd in the bleachers. I've been going to Reds/Pirates game at PNC for years. Oh, and I got heckled for cheering my team. Not good natured heckling either. "Go back to your sh!thole state" was what I got, among other things. I just laughed and found it funny that a Pirates fan, of all people, would ever heckle ANYBODY.

[Ghosts of 1990]

I would bet everything I own on the Reds winning tomorrow and scoring a lot of runs off the starter Jeff Karstens..... I have had one of those premonitions I have only had a handful of times in my life in sports beforehand.

Like I did the day the Bengals beat the undefeated Chiefs a few years ago.

[ChatterRed]

I think BP is getting ready to break out.

Bruce seems like he's back in a slump.

AGon had been hitting the ball hard before tonight's game.......I expected him to start hitting.

[bgwilly31]

big series win here for the reds.

Sweep would have been nice and without some bonehead plays we should have had it.

Either way we come out on top.

Phillips is coming around.
Bruce is coming around.
VOTTO is superman.
A. Rosales---this kid is hot.
Gonzo still looking bad at the plate but managed a few big hits.
Hernandez had himself a day today.

something needs to happen with dickerson. IMO he's getting too many starts.

[gedred69]

big series win here for the reds.


something needs to happen with dickerson. IMO he's getting too many starts.

Agreed. Screw the leftie/rightie thing at 3-4-5, bat Nix (in LF), 4th a few games, see what happens.