That pretty much says it all.

Couldn't have said it better myself. --RHM

The Reds took the final game with the Royals to win the series last night. The score was 5-6.

Bronson Arroyo took the mound for the Reds and allowed two runs (earned) on five hits and three walks though seven innings. The Reds offense was going strong against the Royals' pitching and gave him three runs' worth of lead in that amount of time.

Chris Hammond took over in the eighth and promptly gave up three-runs' worth of lead for the hold through one-third of an inning. He was designated for assignment today, but I'm sure there's no connection.

David Weathers got the ball for the remainder of the eighth and managed not to allow any runs. Sure, he gave up two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning and got the big ol' BS, but he didn't allow any runs.

Oh, and since our boys rallied during his tenure, Weathers also got the win. I know that a lot of people are angry about that. It doesn't seem fair that a starter should work so many clean innings only to have his W given to the very guy who blew the save. I'm probably the only one who finds it funny.

Todd Coffey, apparently not having gotten the memo about how bullpeners are supposed to behave, worked a hitless ninth for the save.

Ken Griffey, Jr., Felipe Lopez, and Adam Dunn came through with our daily recommended allowance of home runs to keep us healthy and strong and score all of the runs that would be scored by Reds on that day. Seriously, where would this team be without the home run?

The win brings the Reds' record to 43-36 and their winning streak to two. They continue the interleague play tonight opening a series against the Cleveland Indians. Elizardo Ramirez faces Paul Byrd at 7:10 p.m.

Chris Hammond was designated for assignment on June 30, 2006. The entire bullpen short of Todd Coffey had been pretty horrible for some time, and Hammond was just the first to go. Brian Shackelford was called up in his place.

Chris Hammond was designated for assignment on June 30, 2006. The entire bullpen short of Todd Coffey had been pretty horrible for some time, and Hammond was just the first to go. Brian Shackelford was called up in his place.

Chris Hammond was designated for assignment today by the Reds. Brian “Love” Shackelford has been called up to take his place.

Chris Hammond was a guiding presence in the bullpen early in the season, but lately he just hadn't been getting it done on the mound. At 40 years old, you had to figure that he was getting pretty close to hanging up the cleats anyway, but you never know. He “retired” in 1999 but returned in 2002, so maybe we'll be seeing him again round-about 2010 or so.

Till then, we'll be looking for great things out of Love Shack.

Ken Griffey (the junior) has now homered in four consecutive games for the Reds. That ties him with Ted Kluszewski (1957), Johnny Bench (1972), and himself (2003) for the club record. He also holds a share of the major league record for most consecutive games with at least one round-tripper, with eight back in 1993.

When 2B Brandon Phillips swiped second base last night, it was his fifteenth theft without getting caught this season. That made him the first Red since Gary Redus in 1984 to start a season with at least 15 successful stolen base attempts. The last Red with more than that was Ken Griffey (the senior), who swiped 19 of 19 to open the 1980 season.

The Reds have set a new club record for home runs in June with 44. The old record was 43, set in 1957 and tied last year. Of course, they still have tonight's game to try and extend the record.

With wins in these last two games against the Royals, the Reds won back-to-back games at home for the first time since May 22-23 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

In a marked departure from recent years, the Reds' staff ERA with Jason LaRue behind the plate this year is is 4.23, compared to 4.66 for David Ross and 4.68 for Javier Valentin. LaRue has thrown out 40 percent of would-be base stealers (8-for-20), compared to 27 percent for Ross (3-for-11) and 45 percent for Valentin (5-for-11).

RHP Paul Wilson pitched a simulated game on June 27 and is scheduled for another on July 2. 3B Edwin Encarnacion began a rehab assignment in Louisville on June 27 as well. The next day, the 28th, Brandon Claussen threw off a mound for the first time since going on the DL June 17, and is expected to face hitters in batting practice July 1.

Elizardo Ramirez will try to make it two wins in a row over the Indians tonight when he takes the mound for the reds. Ramirez was the winner Sunday after allowing two runs and seven hits in 6-1/3 innings of the Reds' 4-2 victory. That was Ramirez' first since May 23. Ramirez is 1-1 with a 4.73 ERA in two career starts against the Indians.

He'll have his work cut out for him going against the Tribe's Paul Byrd, his scheduled mound opponent this evening. Byrd is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his last four starts. He's 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 12 career games against the Reds, and Saturday he allowed just five hits and no walks in eight innings of a 4-0 Cleveland win over Cinci.

John (HMZ)

The Reds partially redeemed themselves after a loss to the Royals on Tuesday with an authoritative 2-7 win on Wednesday to take the second game of the series.

Aaron Harang led the charge with a seven inning performance. His allowed one run (earned) on six hits and one walk. That one run was a solo shot to John Buck in the top of the second. It was the only time a Royal would get to second on Harang's watch.

David Weathers was less dominating, allowing one run (earned) on two hits in just one inning. Matt Belisle struck out two in a hitless ninth.

Felipe Lopez, Rich Aurilia, and Scott Hatteburg smacked homers in the third inning to score five. Ken Griffey, Jr. added another one in the seventh. The only run that came in via non-home-run means was on a Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly in the second.

As I recall, Ryan Freel did not start the first game with the Royals because Narron “couldn't find room” for him in the line-up, despite the fact that he was white-hot. Narron's quote was something along the lines of “Two days off won't kill him.” True, Freel did survive the game, but he also went 0-for-5 with two strike-outs.

Adam Dunn had only one hit on the night, but he also had more walks than the rest of the team combined. He went 1-for-1 with three bases-on-balls.

The win brought the Reds' record to 42-36. They would go for the series win on Thursday, sending Bronson Arroyo out to deal with Bobby Keppel.