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Awful Game Last Night - One More Chance Today.

The 2012 MLB Postseason has been quite the ride for Reds' fans.  The Reds' first game was in San Francisco, the dreaded west coast trip that has doomed many seasons (or so it seems).  Even worse, 8 pitches in and the Reds lose their ace Johnny Cueto.

But the tide turned the Reds' way after that, between some stellar relief work and an admirable "fill in" job by Mat Latos, the Reds fought for the game 1 win.  In game 2, the Reds rode Bronson Arroyo's high leg kick (and lengthy no-hit bid) into an easy win.

All of the sudden, despite losing Cueto, the Reds looked almost invincible as they returned home for three games.  All they had to do was win one lousy game in three tries.  Heck, the Reds didn't lose three games in a row at home all season.  Surely round 1 was in the bag.

Game 3 started off well.  Homer Bailey was flat out nasty.  The Reds had plenty of runners on base in the first inning, and despite an overly aggressive base running blunder that got Brandon Phillips thrown out at third, the Reds had a first inning lead (1-0).

Credit San Francisco, the scratched, clawed, and hacked (lots of strikeouts) their way to tie the game up.  Then, in extra innings, a ground ball to Reds' third baseman Scott Rolen changed everything.

The normally sure-handed Rolen made an error on the play (there were 2 outs at the time).  A run scored.  The Giants held the Reds in check in the bottom of the inning and escaped with a game 3 victory.  All of the sudden, doubt crept back into the Reds' fans minds.  Doubt happens when your team hasn't won a home playoff game in almost two decades.

Game 4 happened yesterday.  It's best to forget about it.  Nothing went well - and there's a reason Mike Leake was left off the post season roster initially.

And so, it's all about Game 5.

Normally, I root for the "all or nothing" games in the playoffs.  Of course, normally my team isn't in the playoffs.  Today's game will come down to pitching, defense, and (most likely) whether or not the Reds have figured out how to have some offense in their home ballpark again.

Will the steak of no three-in-a-row home losses be broken or will the streak of no home playoff wins in what seems like forever be broken?  The good news is that one streak will be no more - the bad news is that as a Reds fan, only one streak is a bad one that we want to break.

It's up to Latos to hold the Giants to zero runs.  Unfortunately, that's how it feels with the anemic Reds' bats at the moment.  Will there be celebration in Cincy or will the post season success drought continue for another year?

Only one way to find.  It's why they play the games.

Comments

  1. As much as it pains me to say, I think the three in a row streak will be broken. I just don't have a good feeling about today's game. I'm holding out hope for a win, but reminded of how bad the playoffs have been for the Reds (2010 Phillies no-hitter rings a bell).

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  2. I really hope they do break it. Now that I live and teach in Cincy, it's hard not to love that team. Let's go Latos! I've already seen him pitch in person twice this year and both times he was great - hopefully he brings that again!

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  3. Man... I was really rooting for the Reds, too. I've also been rooting for the A's and the O's. I'm also a Twins fan. Boy, I'm really an "underdog" type of guy. lol

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