RED HOT!

   

The Cincinnati Reds won their 8th straight game with a victory over the Chicago Cubs.  This is the longest streak since 1999, the year before Ken Griffey arrived and the year that the Reds played a one game playoff against the New York Mets [they lost 5-0] to get the National League's wildcard berth.

What I am amazed about is how they are doing it.

Pitching.

The team with the worst staff last year....who added Bronson Arroyo and little else in the offseason [and Arroyo was added during the spring]...has the 8th best ERA in the NL now.  Arroyo has led the charge.  He is 8-2 with a 2.31 ERA....the 2nd best ERA in the majors.  He's struck out 68 and walked only 18.  Amazing since he pitches in the Great American Ballpark...a known hitters field.

And like manager Lou Brown said in the movie Major League...."there are 2 or 3 potential All Stars in there!"  You could see Adam Dunn [who is 6th in the majors in home runs], Arroyo, 

Still, the team is hitting well.  They are 2nd in the majors.....1st in the National League....in home runs.  They are 2nd in the National League in runs scored.

And they are MURDERING their divisional competition.  The are a robust 25-12 against the division [only the Astros even have a winning record within the division...at 13-12].  All 8 of their wins during this streak are against NL Central foes....with 7 of them being on the road.  They went into Houston and swept the Astros....and went into St Louis and swept the Cardinals.  Those two teams are their biggest obstacles for a division title. 

The Reds are 6-2 against the Cards this season.  They are 5-1 against the Astros.

And they are also doing it on the road.  Their 20-13 record away from home trails only the surprising Detroit Tigers as the best in the major leagues. 

After the Cubs and Brewers blow thru town [6 more games against NL Central foes!]....they got a tough stretch ahead.  Three games here against the defendind World Series champion Chicago White Sox, four games in New York against the 1st place Mets and three games at interleague rival Cleveland....before getting the doormat Royals at home and then hosting the Indians.

Hey...anything is better than being 15 games out right now....which is where the Reds were at this point a year ago.