Boxscore

The Bats phoned one in on Thursday. I imagine it’s hard to continue to be motivated when you clinched not just a playoff spot, but your division, so many weeks ago. Matt Maloney got pounded, allowing 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings. Not exactly the best audition for a September call-up.

How many McCutchen’s do the Indians need? Apparently as many as the Bats have Drews.

Hey, look. Matt Kata plays for the Indians, now.

The Bats threatened to score shortly before we had to call it a night. Out of 4 games in 4 nights, we saw the entirety of one game. This was not that game.

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

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.