Cubs blank Reds, Puig-Strop inject heated words
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The ol’ Cincinnati Reds’ two-step was in vogue on a scorching Saturday afternoon in Great American Ball Park. One step forward, one step back as Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ plays in the background. After beating the division-leading Chicago Cubs Friday night to creep to within 5 1/2 games of first […]
Is there really a ‘closer’ for the Reds right now?
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — So is Raisel Iglesias the closer or is he not the closer? It looks as if the term ‘closer’ doesn’t fit manager David Bell’s vocabulary. And the situation remains fluid. Iglesias, the closer, can’t seem to close anything other than his bedroom door these days. He hasn’t fit the peg […]
Reds make quick, early statement to Cubs
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — With the season nearly half over, it is time for the Cincinnati Reds to show their fans: “Are we in or are we out?” On Friday night in Great American Ball Park, they gave a small sample size, a little statement that said, “We’re in,” a 6-3 victory over the […]
Gennett is back, but he isn’t wearing a cape
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Scooter Gennett wore a red tank top to a pre-game media interview session before Friday night’s game. There was no Superman cape visible anywhere. Social media is awash with brash statements about how Gennett’s return to the lineup is destined to turn the season in favor of the Cincinnati Reds, […]
Iglesias fails again in non-save assignment, Reds lose, 5-1
By HAL McCOY A pair of season-long bugaboos surfaced again for the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. ONE: Closer Raisel Iglesias is downright awful when he is asked to pitch in a non-save situation. It was 1-1 when manager David Bell asked Iglesias to keep it there in the […]
Reds play blunderball in 5-1 loss to Angels
By HAL McCOY The Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates all lost Tuesday night. That gave the Cincinnati Reds a chance to pick up a game on every team in the National League Central. The Reds also lost and while they didn’t lose ground, they missed a huge […]
DeSclafani is Jekyl-Hyde in 7-5 loss to Brewers
By HAL McCOY Baseball is about as easy to explain as the theory of relativity and not even Albert Einstein can quantify the game. Explain this, Albert. Explain how the Cincinnati Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday afternoon, 7-5. Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani began the game in Miller Park by striking out […]
Castillo struggles as Reds’ winning streak ends, 6-5
By HAL McCOY With seven-game winner Luis Castillo facing eight-game loser Jhoulys Chacin, with the Cincinnati Reds on a six-game winning and the Milwaukee Brewers on a five-game losing streak, Las Vegas would make the Reds odds-on favorite to win Saturday afternoon Baseball doesn’t work that way. Even though the Reds scored three runs in […]
A wild one, but Reds win sixth straight, 11-7, over Brewers
By HAL McCOY The baseball gods are not only smiling down on the Cincinnati Reds, they are covering their mouths to keep from giggling out loud. The Reds are in a period in which everything they touch turns to platinum. And it has translated into a six-game winning streak. It was evident again Friday night […]