‘V’ for victory when Verlander pitches one-hitter
By HAL McCOY With Houston’s Justin Verlander on the mound, the Tampa Bay Rays knew runs would come at a premium. How about hits? The Rays not only didn’t score any runs, they barely scraped a hit off Verlander in Game One of the American League Division Series Friday afternoon. It was as if Verlander […]
Cardinals survive defensive doldrums, late Braves home runs to win 7-6
By HAL McCOY The St. Louis Cardinals, normally defensive dandies, tried their darndest to give away a game Thursday night. Early in Game One of the National League Division Series, the Cardinals played defense as if they didn’t know the definition if they had a dictionary in their hands. Lax defense gave the Atlanta Braves […]
Rays turn table on A’s with long ball, win 5-1
By Hal McCoy Contributing Writer There was a stranger in Tampa Bay’s lineup, seldom-used Yandy Diaz and he was playing first base, a strange position for him. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash was asked before the American League wild card game Wednesday night in Oakland, “Why is Diaz in the lineup.” Said Cash, “Because he […]
Nationals take NL wild card game with late rally
By HAL McCOY Are the one-and-done one-game wild card games really fair? The Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers battled through 162 games to qualify for the playoffs. After a 19-31 start through May, the Nationals found a way and made it. The Brewers used an incredible September run to qualify. Then it came down to […]
OBSERVATIONS: Bengals offensive line a collapsed dam
By HAL McCOY UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave while awaiting the preliminaries to end so that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros can play an enticing World Series. Yeah, yeah. Television wants the Dodgers and Yankees, but Houston’s pitching staff is five guys and thanks for coming. —If the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line […]
Reds finish disappointing 2019 with 3-1 win in Pittsburgh
By HAL McCOY Another long, disappointing and frustrating season came to a merciful conclusion Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh for the Cincinnati Reds. During their 150th-year franchise history celebration, the Reds finished 2019 with their sixth straight losing season. Their 75-87 record. is the best since 2014 when the team went 76-86, the team’s best record […]
Reds end PNC futility in a 12-inning game they should have lost
By HAL McCOY After losing 11 straight games to the Pittsburgh Pirates in PNC Park, the Cincinnati Reds finally won a game — a game they shouldn’t have won. It took them 12 innings to do it, a game that ended well after midnight, a 4-2 decision. The game-winning run came on a two-out double […]
Pirates walk it off as Iglesias strikes again
By HAL McCOY There was nothing for the Cincinnati Reds to play for Friday night in Pittsburgh except pride. Pride falleth again. The Reds had it all wrapped up, a one-run lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. What happened? Raisel Iglesias happened. Again. He gave up a two-out, two-run walk-off home […]
Brennaman walks a professional line in his farewell broadcast
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — What everybody wanted to hear, what everybody begged to happen, was for Marty Brennaman to finish his career with his catch phrase: “And this one belongs to the Reds.” Unfortunately, it was not to be as the Milwaukee Brewers spoiled the going-away party, beating the Cincinnati Reds, 5-3, Thursday afternoon. […]