The Reds had to settle for the split of the four-game series with the Mets on Thursday when they lost 2-6.

Eric Milton had a rough outing, giving up six runs (earned) on nine hits and two walks in four and one-third innings. In the midst of the game, Milton's ERA dipped below 4.0, but before Hell could completely freeze over he gave up some runs for the loss and got it back up to 4.71.

Jason Standridge finished off the rest of the fifth with no hits. Esteban Yan worked the sixth, allowing no runs on one hit. Mike Burns held the Mets scoreless for the seventh and eighth on two hits.

I followed the game off-and-on between meetings at work via the GameDay, so I didn't really have the feel of the game. I understand that Pedro Martinez was not exactly on, which is apparently not typical. Nevertheless, the only Red to have more than one hit in the game was--brace yourself--Adam Dunn with two. The only Red to have more than one walk was--unbrace yourself--Scott Hatteberg also with two.

The Reds scored first in the second, when Austin Kearns and Dunn singled. Brandon Phillips moved over the runners with a sacrifice bunt and David Ross brought in Kearns with a sacrifice fly. Dunn was stranded on third when Juan Castro struck out.

They scored their other run in the top of the fourth, still before the Mets ever made it on the board. Martinez walked the first three batters he faced: Hatteberg, Kearns, and Dunn. Brandon Phillips again sacrificed, this time with the fly variety to bring in Hatteberg. Then Ross and Castro also hit sac flies, minus the “sac” part to end the inning and waste two perfectly good baserunners.

The loss brought the Reds' record to 39-34. They would travel to Cleveland to open a three-game series against the Indians. Aaron Harang took on Jake Westbrook.

When I got the e-mail about the chance to blog the All-Star game, complete with on-field press credentials, a player interview, and $2,000, I got so excited that I had to stop, take a breath, and re-start reading the message out loud.

That's because I thought I was being invited to actually take said trip (and finally get that Bronson Arroyo interview I've been waiting for??). Upon more out-loud reading, however, I realized that the e-mail was informing me of the opportunity to enter a contest to win said prizes and asking me to spread the word to you, the baseball-blog reading public. Not dropping the opportunity in my lap, as I'd so eagerly hoped.

Oh well, maybe they'll draw my name out of the hat. Or maybe you'll win the prize and drop it in my lap. Oh, would you? I'd really appreciate that. Really, it would mean so much to me.

In any event, I went to to the page and registered to win. You can do it too, by clicking here. You'll be required to create an account on Monster.com, and you don't get immediate confirmation that you've entered the contest, but you do get e-mail confirmation some 30 minutes later.

Here's a bit from the press release for your detail-collecting enjoyment:

Monster will also be conducting The Monster MLB.com All-Star Game Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes, which began on April 28, 2006 and runs through June 25, 2006, will award the “Ultimate Job” at the All-Star Game. One winner will receive two tickets to the game, the opportunity to interview a player, a blog on MLB.com to post game coverage, lodging, transportation and spending cash. Information and entry can be found at http://promotions.monster.com/mlb2006allstar

The Reds pulled out what seemed like an impossible win on Wednesday when they took the third game of the four-game series against the Mets, 6-5.

Joe Mays took the mound for the Reds and allowed two runs (earned) on eight hits and two walks through six innings of work. He left the game with a two-run lead, so of course Chris Hammond allowed three runs when he came in to work the seventh.

Jason Standridge allowed zero runs on one hit and one walk in the eighth for the win. Todd Coffey allowed zero runs on zero hits and one walk in the ninth for the save.

There were six Cincinnati runs, but the two from the top of the ninth are the story of the game. Here were the Reds, on the losing side of a 4-5 score in a game that had looked to be theirs until the bullpen imploded. Again. They know that, somewhere, George Grande is uttering the phrase “last round-up time” and they know how frequently these opportunities have been slipping away lately.

When Felipe Lopez strikes out swinging against Billy Wagner, it looks like its going to be one of those times. When Ken Griffey, Jr. grounds out, hope is all but lost. Austin Kearns walked; too bad Austin Kearns wasn't up to knock himself in.

But then pinch-hitter David Ross walked. Things start looking like they might be worth getting interested in again. Narron sends in Quinton McCracken to pinch-run, which at least means he can't strike out, and sends Rich Aurilia to the plate. Aurilia's got some retribution in mind after GIDP-ing the last two outs the day before.

Aurilia hits an easy grounder to third, but David Wright can't seem to figure out what to do with the ball. No one's covering third and he can't get his head around throwing to first. Everyone is safe.

That's when Brandon Phillips marches to the plate. He's hitless on the night, but looking to make something happen. He works a 2-2 count and smacks one to center field. Kearns scores! McCracken scores! The New York crowd fails to go wild as the Reds take the one-run lead!

Javier Valentín struck out looking to to end the inning, but it was enough. Coffey saved the day, and all was well in Redsland. The win brought their record to 39-33. They would look to win the series on Thursday afternoon when they sent Eric Milton out to face Pedro Martinez.

Jerry Narron, manager of the Cincinnati Reds, is headed to Pittsburg this All-Star break to serve on the National League coaching staff.

Much ado was made about Narron recently completing his first 162 games with the team and his 83-78 record in that span. The Reds are 39-34 so far this season under his leadership, second in the central division.

He keeps this up, and it's gonna be mighty tough to hire Lou Piniella in the off-season.

Narron will certainly be accompanied by Bronson Arroyo, possibly by Ken Griffey, Jr., and probably not by Brandon Phillips or David Ross.

Bill Madden had a particularly schmaltzy piece in yesterday's New York Daily News. It was called Junior achievement: Staying on the field and it got awfully sentimental about one Ken Griffey, Jr., who, at the ripe old age of 36, is too young to be getting sentimental about, imo.

No less an authority than Hank Aaron himself predicted he would be the one to break the all-time home run record, but that was before Griffey came home to Cincinnati and seemingly began playing every season hurt. His legs have betrayed him these past five years and, as such, denied him the opportunity to make a run at Aaron that, instead, is being made by the cheater that is Barry Bonds.

In Junior's case, it is he who has been cheated, but as he was saying last night in the solitude of the Reds clubhouse before their 9-2 loss to the Mets, we should not feel sorry for him.

He's got a good point, of course. We could all feel sorry for Junior. If only he could have our lives, things would be OK for him.

But he doesn't want that! Oh, no! He'll put on a brave face and face the harsh reality of hanging with Tiger Woods, playing himself in video games, and tooling around in cars worth more than your life!

OK, that sounds nasty. I know that Junior isn't feeling sorry for himself, or, if he is, he's keeping it to himself. I'm just bitter because I write schmaltzy crap like this all the time, but I'm not getting printed in any big New York newspapers.

And for that, I blame Madden's steroid habit. Damn cheater.