Again from Marc, the Reds have traded low-A starting pitcher Zach Ward to the Twins for right-handed sort-of starter Kyle Lohse.

Marc says that Lohse has been demoted to the major and sent back to the pen on his return to Minnesota. He brings with him a 2-5 record and a 7.07 ERA, so surely he's our new fifth starter.

After making the start on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, Justin Germano was optioned back to Louisville. Brandon Watson was called up to take his place. It seemed sort of odd since Germano had performed relatively well (better than Joe Mays, anyway) but Narron said that had been the plan all along.

I guess the rest of the plan unfolds today as Germano has been traded to the Phillies for 39-year old left-hander Rheal Cormier (thx Marc). You'd think we'd have had enough with 39-year old lefties but apparently you can never have enough.

Cormier brings a 2-2 record with a 1.59 ERA this year, down from his 4.01 career average. Hope he can keep it going.

After returning from my high school reunion yesterday, we discovered that the power was out in the computer room. The fuses all seem to be fine and none of the other rooms are out, so perhaps a loose wire is to blame. We've had a mouse lately; perhaps that little Eckstein had something to do with it.

In any event, it's trickier to get on-line now, seeing as the DSL comes in through that room. But I'm not making excuses for my spotty posting. I would never do that. It's the mouses' fault.

Meanwhile, the game has begun and I see that Edwin Encarnación is, again, not starting. I can't think of any more ways to say, “why?” so I guess I'll try to think about something else.

In the pre-game programming on FSNO today, Bronson Arroyo talked about buying night vision goggles “like in Silence of the Lambs” but complained that they stopped working after six months. I can't even count the number of ways in which that is scary.

I know I haven't yet posted anything about Justin Germano being sent back down in favor of that guy Kriv-dawg picked up from the Nationals right after the trade. Damn mouse.

Tomorrow's the non-waiver trade deadline, at 4 p.m. as I understand. I thought it was midnight, but I guess the general managers need to get their sleep. Part of me hopes I have something to sneak a post up during work about tomorrow, part of me doesn't. A shiny new starting pitcher would be great, but I'm afraid Krivsky would package up every single player left from the O'Brien era to do it.

Anyway, Aaron Harang has wiggled out of the first inning allowing only one, so let's see the offense get going. Rich Aurilia at third and Juan Castro at short: only good can come of that.

Go Reds!

The Reds allowed the Brewers to tie up the series at ones on Saturday with a 3-6 loss in Milwaukee.

Justin Germano, the half of of the Joe Randa booty that wasn't traded for Eddie Guardado, pitched almost well. He pitched five and two thirds innings, allowing four runs (earned) on eight hits and two walks. He struck out eight. That's Elizardo Ramirez territory, baby!

Jason Standridge earned his “Strandridge” nickname when he finished out the sixth inning, but he gave up a home run in his one out of the seventh. Brian Shackelford struck out the next batter and David Weathers closed out the seventh without a hit.

Gary Majewski gave up a run (earned) on two hits in the eighth. Sigh.

I know that a lot of people think that Edwin Encarnación ought to be playing every day, but consider this: Rich Aurilia and Scott Hatteberg each contributed one of the team's three RBI yesterday. If either of them had sat, the team would have lost by even more. And since Aurilia has played ONLY first or third base throughout his career, there really is just no other choice.

Ack! Sarcasm gland overloaded!

The loss brings the Reds' record to 55-49. They'll try to make it a winning season and a winning road trip today as Aaron Harang takes on Ben Sheets.

After a shaky first, Eric Milton settled down to lead the Reds to a 4-3 over the Brewers.

Milton allowed three runs (all earned, all in the first inning) on five hits and two walks in seven innings. Todd Coffey pitched one-third of an inning in the eighth and allowed zero hits. Bill Bray held them hitless for the rest of the eighth. Eddie Guardado allowed zero runs on one hit and one walk in the ninth for the save.

The offense scored its runs in ones. Milton sacrificed in Scott Hatteberg in the second. Edwin Encarnación knocked in Adam Dunn in the fifth when he hit into a fielder's choice. (Does it count as a sacrifice when you sacrifice someone else?) Ken Griffey, Jr. knocked in Milton in the sixth. Ryan Freel doubled in Chris Denorfia in the eighth.

The win brought the Reds' record to 55-48. They would send rookie Justin Germano out against Doug Davis on Saturday.

The Reds actually gave Elizardo Ramirez some support for a change in this 8-4 win over the Astros on Thursday.

Ramirez worked six and two-third innings, allowing one run (earned) on six hits and a walk. He struck out eight, seven of them in a row. Brian Shackelford finished out the seventh without allowing a hit.

Gary Majewski started off the eighth, but couldn't get an out. He was charged with two runs (earned) on three hits. How this guy still had a 4.37 ERA after this game is beyond me. He must have been freakin' awesome in Washington.

Bill Bray gave up a run on three hits in his two-thirds of the eighth; Todd Coffey gave up zero runs on zero hits in his third. Eddie Guardado struck out three in the ninth.

Adam Dunn had a hell of a night, going 3-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored, and four RBI including a two-run home run in the second inning. Ken Griffey, Jr. also contributed two RBI with a two-run home run in the first inning. Rich Aurilia and Ramirez batted in the other two.

Ryan Freel didn't hit in any runs for a change, but did score two of them in his 3-for-5 performance.

The win brought the Reds' record to 54-48. The series with the Astros won, the Reds moved on to Milwaukee. They would send Eric Milton out to face Tomo Ohka on Friday.

Ahhh…I love the beginning of a game. So full of promise. Zero outs in the bottom of the first, and Milton hasn't allowed any runs yet.

UPDATE: nevermind.

In today's notebook at the Dayton Daily News (subscription required), Todd Coffey talks about what he stores on his iPod.

“I'm a movie freak. Lots of movies. Lord of the Rings. I'm a sci-fi guy. OK, I guess I'm just a big ol' nerd.”

Just another reason for me to like him.

Now let's see him continue his resurgence in his late-innings relief role.

The Reds lost a game of their lead on third place yesterday with a 5-8 loss to the Astros.

When I woke up this morning, the sports guy on 104.1 WLBC (News, Sports, and Weather…Together!) said that the “bullpen collapsed” in the loss. Apparently he hasn't heard that Bronson Arroyo is a starter now.

Unlike other recent failed attempts for the tenth win, Arroyo earned this loss fair and square. He gave up eight runs on eight hits and a walk through six and two-thirds innings pitched. His personal record inches ever-closer to .500, now at 9-7.

Brian Shackelford made his triumphant return in to the seventh to face one batter without a hit. David Weathers struck out two in a hitless eighth.

The Reds scored five, which would normally be way more than enough against the Astros. Adam Dunn went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Rich Aurilia went 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Edwin Encarnación actually got to play third base. What the heck more do you need?

A manager who pulls the starter before he can give up six runs in an inning might help.

The loss brings the Reds' record to 53-48. Tonight the rubber game. Elizardo Ramirez takes on the ever-so-sweet-faced Taylor Buchholz at 8:05 p.m.

Marc says that David Ross indeed made it back for today's game to play binky to Bronson Arroyo, so the Reds had to make room on the roster. They did so by designating for assignment Joe Mays.

Mays recently sparked an argument between me and the Crack Technical Staff. CTS said that Ryan Freel would be a better choice to start, whereas I took the more practical approach of saying a pitcher would be better on the mound than a utilityman.

In any event, Mays had been scheduled to start Saturday. Marc says the pitcher is TBA. George Grande said during the game tonight that they seem to be leading toward starting someone on three-days rest, so I guess that would be Arroyo?

At least he's got his binky back. For all the good it's doing him tonight.