Gausman says he is ready for Reds bullpen challenge

By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — If nothing else, Kevin Gausman is a polite fellow. Shortly after his arrival in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse Tuesday, a dozen media members surrounded his locker, digital recorders and microphones in his face. Before a question could be asked, Gausman stuck out his hand and shook with each and every […]

Is Castillo the re-incarnate of Pedro Martinez?

By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — When Mike Trout drops a put-it-in-your-pocket fly ball in the first inning, it is beyond a reasonable doubt that things are tilted heavily in your direction. That’s exactly what happened Monday night in Great American Ball Park. Trout, baseball’s Mr. Universe, perhaps bored to tears because the Cincinnati Reds were […]

Bauer likes what he sees in Cincinnati clubhouse

By Hal McCOY CINCINNATI — To say Trevor Bauer is different is to say there is a difference between a turtle shell and a soup pan. Does he march to the beat of a different drummer? He is the drummer, with his own beat. For example, to those who hold hope that the Cincinnati Reds […]

Barnhart blast in 10th propels Reds to 6-4 win over Braves

By HAL McCOY For a brief few moments, it looked as if the bewitched, bothered, bewildered and battered Cincinnati Reds bullpen worked its un-Midas touch. Tucker Barnhart came to the rescue in a mammoth way, a three-run 10th-inning home run that lifted the Reds from the doldrums to a 6-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves. […]

Reds take walk on the wild side, Bauer struggles, Reds lose in 10, 5-4

By HAL McCOY Cincinnati Reds pitchers threw 208 pitches to the Atlanta Braves Saturday night in Sun Trust Park — one pitch too many. The 208th, a 0-and-2 pitch thrown by Robert Stephenson, was pulled into left field by Ronald Acuna Jr. for a single, a walk-off 5-4 victory for the Braves in 10 innings. […]

Wood makes the wait worth it for Reds

By HAL McCOY The long, long wait for Alex Wood appears worth it to the Cincinnati Reds, at least for one night. Wood made his second start of the season and shut down the homer-happy Atlanta Braves Friday night in Sun Trust Park, 5-2. The only damage done to Wood on this night was a […]

Reds drop rain-shortened game to Braves, 4-1

By HAL McCOY It wasn’t a fun night for Acting Manager Freddie Benavides. With manager David Bell serving the first day of his six-day suspension, Benavides handled the lineup card and the decisions Thursday night in Atlanta’s Sun Trust Park. Another Freddie, Freddie Freeman, and Mother Nature combined to hand Benavides and the Cincinnati Reds […]

The Aftermath: Bell, Garrett, Hughes, Puig suspended

By HAL McCOY The hammer has fallen in the aftermath of the brawl involving the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night in Great American Ball Park. And Joe Torre, Major League Baseball’s lord of discipline made it clear that MLB is concerned with the constant animosity between the two National League Central rivals. That […]

Castillo keeps things calm while Scooter, Roark pack their bags

By Hal McCoy CINCINNATI — There were no extracurricular activities Wednesday afternoon in Great American Ball Park, no fisticuffs, no cranium-seeking beanballs, no cursing, no brawls. There was a niftily-pitched game (Luis Castillo) and there were a couple of trades (Tanner Roark, Scooter Gennett). Castillo painted a fine landscape, holding the Pittsburgh Pirates scoreless for […]