Typical.

The Reds lost to the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday by a score of 8-4.

Elizardo Ramirez earned himself the loss by allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks through six plus innings. He struck out seven.

Chris Hammond allowed zero runs on one hit in the seventh. Matt Belise allowed one run (earned) on one hit through one-third. Brian “Ram” Shackelford allowed four runs (all earned) on two hits and three walks through one inning. Rick White gave up zero runs on one hit through the final two-thirds.

The buzz about this game has been that the bullpen let down Ramirez, but I'm still going to indict the offense. The Lizard allowed three runs through six and the offense only scored four. The bullpen would have had to have kept the Phillies scoreless through the final three innings to win this one. A bullpen doesn't have to be bad to allow more than one run to the Phillies over three innings.

Austin Kearns and Edwin Encarnación each hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to provide the sum total of the offense through eight innings. In the ninth, Brandon Phillips walked, Javier Valentín flied out, Scott Hatteberg walked, and Quinton McCracken reached on a fielding error to load up the bases. Felipe Lopez even walked in a run to keep the bases loaded for Ken Griffey, Jr.

Alas, The Kid did not reprise his walk-off performance of the day before. Admittedly, that would have taken a 6-run home run, but I think we all would have been happy with a grand slam. Instead, he grounded out, bringing in Hatteberg. When Kearns struck out swinging, the quasi-rally was over as was the game.

The loss brings the Reds' record to 23-13. They try to avoid losing the series tonight by pitting Dave Williams, proud owner of a 2-2 record, 7.85 ERA against Jon Lieber, equally proud owner of a 2-4 record, 6.60 ERA. Game time 6:10 p.m.

As told by Marc:

Word from Louisville that the Bats have released Rob Stratton to make room for Chris Denorfia on their roster. Good luck, big fella. Sorry we never got to see you up here.

Was there no one in a better position to be released? With all the talk about the Reds' minor league system being so thin, this seems like a strange move.

Speaking of spring training hot shots who got injured just before they could make it big, where's Dewayne Wise these days?

The Cleveland Indians have designated for assignment our old pal Danny Graves (via Marc). He had a 2-1 record and a 5.79 ERA in 13 appearances. Graves allowed runs in four of those 13 appearances. When he gave 'em up, he gave 'em up big time, but he was effective most of the time.

Am I just jaded by the Reds' bullpen, or does that not seem that bad? Comparatively, our current pal Rick White is the owner of a 1-0 record an a 6.19 ERA in 16 appearances. He's allowed runs in seven of his 16 appearances.

Not that I would ever recommend bringing back Graves, but after games like last night's you find yourself thinking crazy things.

The Reds won their first extra-innings game of the season in spectacular form by a score of 4-5 over Washington on Thursday night.

Bronson Arroyo took the mound for the Reds and worked eight innings, which would turn out to be three fewer than he would have needed for a complete game. He allowed no runs on six hits and a walk, and struck out eight. He left the game with a 0-1 lead.

David Weathers came took over in the ninth, probably due to Arroyo's high pitch count. Weathers blew his third save of the season, giving up one earned run on one hit to tie the game and force the extra innings.

Todd Coffey took the mound in the tenth and held the Nationals hitless. Rick White took over in the eleventh and seemed to make the game a lost cause by giving up three runs (earned) on two hits through two-thirds of an inning. Brian “Love” Shackelford gave up a hit before striking out the final batter. Surprisingly enough, he would end up with the win.

Edwin Encarnación knocked in Felipe Lopez in the fifth inning to provide the Reds only run through regulation play. However, manager Jerry Narron made one of the classic blunders: never get into a land war in Asia, never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and never ask David Weathers to protect a one-run lead.

But it was all just to set up the heroics for the eleventh. After White gave up his three runs, the Reds pinch hit Ray Olmedo for David Ross to get the rally going. Little Ray Ray came through with the single to left field. Ryan Freel moved him to third on a single, but moved himself to the dugout by trying to stretch it into a double.

Lopez singled to bring in Olmedo, and Encarnación walked. Ken Griffey, Jr., in his first game off the disabled list for almost a month, hit the 0-1 pitch over the wall in center field. And there was much rejoicing.

The win gave the Reds the series victory over the Nationals and brought their record to 23-12. Friday, they began a three-game series against the Phillies, pitting Elizardo Ramirez against Cole Hamels.