No matter the outcome of Sunday's finale with Pittsburgh, the Reds have risen to the challenge. Facing its closest competitor for the NL Central crown, and without its 2 best players, Cincinnati has used guile, cunning -- along with pitching, defense and timely hitting to take the first two games versus the Pirates. Increasing its division lead to 5 1/2 games.
Scott Rolen embodied many of the above attributes. He singled in 2 runs with 2 out in the first inning, played his usual steady third base and then with the score tied he rolled the dice by hustling his way to a an 8th inning triple with a head first slide. Rolen then scored on Todd Frazier's high chopper back to the mound. A veteran move, for if he doesn't read that ball correctly and break for the plate as soon as it rose into the air, Rolen is a dead duck at the plate. Like I said before -- guile and cunning. It's the stuff you have to have when you're without Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips in the lineup.
Saturday's 5-4 triumph means Cincinnati has now won 22 of 25, the best such streak since the 1890s. It is by far the most remarkable stretch I personally have seen from a Reds team (duh). As a fan, you hope it's a sign of things to come in October. You temper that feeling by reminding yourself there's still two months left in the season. And as we saw last year, anything can happen over that final month of the season. Still, it's the thought of stretches like this that had fans excited way back in March. Because there was a belief the Reds could be this good. It's watching it come to life that is so fulfilling.
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