The pratfalls and pitfalls of a trip to Italy
By HAL McCOY A text message from somebody in the Cincinnati Reds front office popped up in my cell phone while I was standing in front of the magnificent cathedral, the Duomo di Milano, and it said: “Please stay in Italy. We’ll pay your expenses.” That’s understandable. While Nadine and I were on a glorious […]
Mahle follows Romano with a pitching gem
By HAL McCOY Tyler Mahle performed a nifty piece of one-upmanship Wednesday night in Kaufmann Stadium. After watching teammate Sal Romano hold the moribund Kansas City Royals to one run over eight innings Tuesday night, Mahle followed it with no runs over 6 2/3 innings as the Cincinnati Reds completed a two-game sweep, 7-0. It […]
Reds score improbable win in Kansas City
By HAL McCOY The stars were all aligned Tuesday night for the Cincinnati Reds in Kauffman Stadium. And when it looked as if all was lost, Joey Votto was, as usual, the brightest star of all. The Reds were down, 1-0, in the ninth inning to the Kansas City Royals when Tucker Barnhart homered to […]
Desclafani, Hamilton help Reds say good-bye to Cardinals’ streak
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — It was early in the game and the Great American Ball Park organist played Herman & the Hermits song, ‘I’m in For Something Good.’ As it turned out, it was something very, very good for the Cincinnati Reds, pitcher Anthony Desclafani, second baseman Scooter Gennett and center fielder Billy Hamilton. […]
Note to Reds fans: ‘Quit booing Molina’
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Somebody needs to tell Cincinnati Reds fan to give Yadier Molina the silent treatment. When he comes to the plate in Great American Ball Park, it should be deadly quiet — shush and hush. Or maybe they should give him the shock treatment and give him a standing ovation. After […]
‘The Cardinal Jinx’ continues, but barely — 7-6 in 10 innings
By HAL McCOY And the beat goes on. . .and on and on and on and on. It seems as if the St. Louis Cardinals could put a bunch of life-sized cardboard cutouts of themselves on the field and still beat the Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals, again, beat the Reds Friday night in Great American […]
Winker’s 13th-inning home run lifts Reds past Rockies, 7-5.
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The t-shirt under Jesse Winker’s uniform top was emblazoned with, “Beat Crohn’s,” an admirable message at any time and at any place. But when he stepped to home plate Thursday, the late afternoon shadows closing in inside Great American Ball Park, his message was different than the great one on […]
Romano loses again as Reds lack clutch hits.
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — In remembrance of D-Day, the World War II invasion of Normandy Beach in 1944, the Cincinnati Reds wore their camouflage uniforms Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies. Unfortunately for the Reds these days, D-Day means Defeat Day and they absorbed another one, their 41st against only 21 wins. This time […]
Desclafani’s first start shaky, then solid in 9-6 loss
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — An MLB Network segment of MLB Tonight Monday featured the return off the disabled list of San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez. There was no mention of Anthony Desclafani, who has spent more time on the disabled list the last two years than […]