The Reds managed to sweep the worst team in the majors today when they beat the Giants 9-3.

It was a nice feeling, and it got me thinking about the last time Reds fans had gotten to enjoy that sensation, so I went to check out the record. I didn’t immediately find the last time they swept a series, but I did find a couple other interesting facts from this month:

• The last series win: August 12-14 vs the Pirates
• Series W-L record in August: 2-7, including being swept by the Nats and Astros (4 games)

In fact, the last time the Reds swept a series was before the All Star Break, when they swept a four-game series against the Nationals July 3-July 6.

As I continue my effort to clean out my inbox and finally deal with the messages that have been waiting for attention for the last few months, I find several messages about other blogs that you, the Red Hot Mama readership, might be interested in. Hopefully, these pages haven’t suffered blogfade due to my lack of promptness.

National Sports Beat is a simple and easy to use sports resource site that collects together media resources, blogs, forums, live news feeds and any other relevant resources for every team in the NFL, MLB, NBA and the NHL. It’s perfect for die-hard sports fans like you.

On Base Plus Slugging is a baseball blog that covers both leagues, rather than one specific team.

C70 at the bat is a new Cardinals blog, for all the information you need on those insuppressible redbirds.

Finally, this is an interesting one, Jimmy Scott’s High and Tight is the blog of a fictional former star pitcher near the end of his baseball career who interviews baseball personalities as he tries to figure out what to do with his life after baseball.

Jimmy has interviewed former Expos & Red Sox GM Dan Duqette, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Tommy John, Sal Bando, Brian McRae, Brian Jordan, Mickey Morandini, Hal Lanier, Dave Cash, Richie Hebner, Ed Hearn, Andrea Mallis, the “Baseball Astrologer,” Ron Blomberg, John Fitzgerald (director of “Playing For Peanuts”), the agent/marketing exec Steve Fortunato (handles A-Rod, Johnny Damon, Ken Griffey Jr.) and more.

May all that content help to fill the remaining moments before the September call-ups.

Continuing through my inbox, I realized that I was not one, but TWO Women in Baseball interviews behind. This one from June is with Baltimore Orioles sideline reporter Amber Theoharis.

And if you’re wondering where I stand on the debate in the comments about “bated” versus “baited” breath, I say it’s got to be “bated,” unless you’ve been gargling beer and barbecue sauce all day to catch a football fan.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

I’m a little late posting to this one, but Pam Gardner may be the most impressive woman in baseball article yet. As Houston Astros President of Business Operations, Gardner was recognized as one of the 20 most influential women in baseball in 2005.

Read all about it.

Boxscore

In game 2 of the meaningless 4 game series between the Indianapolis Indians and the Louisville Bats, the Indians came from behind in thrilling fashion to take the lead in the bottom of the 8th.

Todd Coffey blew the save for the Bats before Daniel Herrera gave up the tie. All in all, a performance for the Bats that the Reds’ Dusty Baker would be proud of. As for the Pirates, I don’t think there’s much to like. The pitching struggled, with 3 of the 4 pitchers who made an appearance allowing runs. At least there was some offense, though.

Steve Pearce went 1-4 and drove in one of the Indians’ runs.

Here, Chris Duffy practices the old floating ball trick.

I was surprised at the number of Bats players I’d never heard of. Take right fielder Shaun Cumberland, for example. No idea who he is or where he came from. He seems like a nice enough guy, though. At one point, a kid playing on the outfield grass seating area threw his ball into the outfield. Cumberland walked over and returned the kid’s dropped ball.

Boxscore

Has there ever been a pitcher who completely pwned a team as much as Roy Oswalt pwns the Reds? I mean, it’s gone past coincidence to just bizarre. Oswalt now holds a record of 22-1 against Cincinnati. That’s. Just. Crazy.

The Reds did score a run in the first, and Josh Fogg pitched well, for a change, but the outcome of the game was never in doubt.

Boxscore

The Cardinals found themselves in an all-too-familiar spot last night: everyone saying their season was finished. So of course, the Cards scored 4 runs in the 8th and beat the Brewers 5-3.

Aaron Miles knocked in what would be the winning run, while Felipe Lopez added another for good measure. The win keeps St. Louis in 2nd place in the wild card, 3.5 back of Milwaukee with Philadelphia nipping at their heels.

It’s been a wild and crazy season for the Cardinals. They continue to surprise, finding ways to win, much like Dusty Baker’s teams find ways to lose.

Boxscore

Yesterday, RHM and I realized that the Indianapolis Indians season was nearly complete and that we hadn’t used all our ticket vouchers from the flex package we’d purchased. After consulting the schedule, we saw the Indians were beginning their final homestand of the year, and it was against the Louisville Bats.

So the plan was hatched to attend all of the final home games, or at least the beginning portion of them. I never understood why people left games early. Having attended a game with a 2nd-grader on a school night, I’m beginning to understand.

Once, and perhaps future, Redleg Bobby Livingston started for the Bats. Livingston was shaky early, walking a guy on 4 straight pitches in the 1st, before settling down for a bit. Apparently, as we were leaving in the bottom of the 5th, things derailed a bit for him. He still got the win, though.

Look! a meeting on the mound! He looks ready for the Show already.

The Bats apparently thought it was an episode of the Simpsons, playing bombardment with the Indians and launching 4 home runs. Drew Stubbs didn’t have any of them, but he was closest to our lawn seats. He just might be the Reds center-fielder of the future.

At one point, a beer vendor visited the berm seating area. I was surprised when he simply plopped down his wares and walked around. I must admit, I was tempted. Not to steal anything. Don’t be ridiculous. No, I was tempted to pick it up and try my hand at selling stuff.

Boxscore

It took 132 games, but the Reds finally have a pitcher with a complete game. You can tell this team is no Milwaukee. You could also guess from that stat that Aaron Harang hasn’t been healthy this year. Of course, with a team record of 58-74, you could guess a lot of things, primarily that Dusty Baker is the “manager.”

Bronson Arroyo was the winner of the dubious honor of first complete game for 2008. It came against the Astros in a rather meaningless little game. Arroyo pitched well, better than he has all year, allowing 1 run over 9 innings.

Houston’s back at .500, but will be expecting to change that once notorious Reds-killer Roy Oswalt starts their next game.

Boxscore

The Cubs allowed 9 runs and committed 3 errors, but still managed to win. Strangely, it’s what’s becoming expected of this aberrational 2008 Chicago team. Of course, it doesn’t hurt when your playing any version of the Pirates for the last 17 years.

Carlos Zambrano started and sucked. Obviously, his head wasn’t in it, as he gave up 6 runs in 4 1/3 innings. His opponent, Ian Snell, wasn’t any better, lasting only 4 innings and giving up 5 runs.

There was plenty of offense in the game, but the star is Geovanny Soto, who drove in 7 runs while going 3 for 5 with a homer. Just think, though, if his team hadn’t scored at least 3 more runs, his offensive explosion would have been for naught. Isn’t he lucky he plays for the 2008 Cubs?

Chicago’s on a roll again, having won their 4th straight and increased their record to 32 games over .500. The Pirates fell to last place again, thanks to an unexpected win from Cincinnati.