Just heard Marty say that Kent Mercker has been placed on the DL retroactive to yesterday with inflammation in his shoulder. The Reds are expected to recall Brian Shackelford tomorrow.

I feel like saying something about a “Shack Attack” about now, but I think I'll keep it to myself.

Looks like Red Reporter is down, and I'd hate for you guys to be forced to go over to Redleg Nation or Redszone to discuss the game, so I'm putting up a post for your discussing convenience. Sort of a place to crash when your regular place has crashed.

So, uh, how 'bout that Joe Mays, huh? Yikes.

The rain delay was again good to the Reds in this 5-6 win on Friday. Well, Friday/Saturday.

Elizardo Ramirez lasted five innings, allowing five runs (earned) on eleven hits. Not a great night for The Lizard, but nothing the offense couldn't overcome. The Brewers' runs came in 1s and 2s, not grand-salami fours. That's nice.

Jason Standridge, suddenly the reliever of choice, worked the sixth and seventh without a hit. Bill Bray did the same, getting two strike-outs in the eighth. Gary Majewski got the win with his one hit, no run ninth inning.

The Reds didn't score a run until after the Brewers had scored all of theirs. Jason LaRue hit a solo shot in the fifth inning to get things going. See? Your contributions CAN make a difference. Enjoying his first start in what feel like forever, Edwin Encarnación put his one hit in four at-bats to good use with a two-run shot in the seventh.

Then came the half-inning of which you can see clips crammed into 30-seconds on ESPN News: the bottom of the ninth. Derrick Turnbow, who is now enjoying a 34.36 ERA this month with zero saves in four opportunities, took the mound and gave Brandon Phillips a single to center field. Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for the perfectly-reasonable-to-pinch-hit-for LaRue and walked. Dewayne Wise laid down the sac bunt to move the tying runs into scoring position.

Ryan Freel walked to load up the bases, and the Brewers changed pitchers. Dana Eveland walked Javier Valentín to cut the lead in half, giving Javy an RBI without having an official AB and setting up Ken Griffey, Jr. to single to center. He brought in the winning runs and the happy, happy feelings of the sleepy, sleepy fans.

The win brings the Reds' record to 51-46 and gives us some home for tonight's 6:10 affair that pits Joe Mays against David Bush. Pray for rain.

Manager Jerry Narron again made some questionable calls this afternoon in what would turn out to be a 4-2 game to lose the series to the New York Mets.

Bronson Arroyo continued his march to a nine-win season when he put in eight innings of two-run (earned), six hit work. He struck out eight and walked zero.

Two words, my friends: bad karma.

Eddie Guardado worked the ninth and allowed no runs on one hit. Being the one new reliever who has demonstrated that he can definitely get the job done, and being that the pitcher's spot wasn't due up for seven batters, he should have also pitched the tenth.

Instead, Narron sent out Gary Majewski, apparently to give him another chance to win our hearts. In the space of two outs, Majewski gave up two runs (earned) on two hits for the loss. Kent Mercker got the final out.

Majewski has now pitched two innings in three appearances and given up five runs. He sports a lean 22.50 ERA as a Red. And admittedly, that's not great. But you have to admit: it's better than Austin Kearns could have done.

Ryan Freel, finally back from his lingering shoulder injury, knocked in both Reds' runs in the fifth inning, scoring Royce Clayton and Jason LaRue. Freel was 3-for-5 on the night.

Edwin Encarnación finally got a start and went 2-for-2 with a walk! Finally, he got the chance to prove himself and did it with flying colors! And got pinch-hit for in the seventh! By Scott Hatteberg!

Honestly, people, what the hell? Sure, Hattey's been hot, but so has Eddie. There was only one out in the inning, and Brandon Phillips was coming up next. Going into the stretch, general manager Wayne Krivsky noticed that the bullpen was losing the team a lot of games and took drastic measures to fix it. Has he noticed how many games Narron has lost the team this week? Will he take drastic measures? Might I recommend a Kool-Aid colonic?

The loss brings the Reds' record to 50-46. Tomorrow at 7:10 p.m. they open a series with the Brewers, sending The Lizard, Elizardo Ramirez out to face Chris Capuano.