Francisco Cordero Blown Save Ruins D-Train's Comeback in 4-3 Loss

Francisco Cordero lost for the second time in three days.  He couldn't hold a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth in his third consecutive failed save attempt.

After getting Yuniefsky Betancourt to ground out but the rest of the game was a recurring nightmare.

Pinch hitter, Nyjer Morgan singled and stole second.  George Kattaras drew a walk. The hero on Friday, Mark Kotsay hit a shot back through the middle.  Cordero got his glove on it but it tied the game as Cozart couldn't keep it in the infield.  Cordero hit Weeks to load the bases.  Craig Counsel, the third pinch hitter of the inning knocked in the winning run with a fly to left.

Going into the break two games under .500 and four games out of first place, is hard to take but the first eight innings was very positive and bodes well for the second half.

Welcome back D-Train.

After three seasons in the muck and mire, Dontrelle Willis made a successful six-inning quality start against Central Division leading Milwaukee.

Willis started slowly but after understandable jitters in the first two innings, the still young, 29-year old, allowed just four hits to leave the game with a lead, 3-2.  He hit a double to boot.

Randy Wolf had "Reds" luck today.  He walked the bases loaded in the first inning after not getting a two strike call on Jay Bruce.  He also narrowly missed a home run down the right field line that was close enough for video review.

Wolf, the brother of a major league umpire, had a complaint about a possible swing by All-Star, Scott Rolen. Gary Darling the home plate umpire ruled that Rolen held up on a checked swing on a ball that hit him to drive in the Reds first run.  The first base umpire ruled that Rolen checked in time.

All-Star starting secondbaseman, Rickie Weeks singled and scored on a single by Cory Hart.

The Reds in the second.  Ramon Hernandez singled to open the inning.  Willis tried to bunt Hernandez to second but Wolf got the force on Hernandez.  Drew Stubbs forced Willis and moved into scoring position on a single by Zack Cozart.  Reigning MVP and All-Star, Joey Votto, singled to plate Stubbs.

Milwaukee promptly retied the game.  Weeks drew a two-out walk from Willis.  Carlos Gomez hit a triple down the right field line to score Weeks.

This time the Reds waited an inning for Hernandez to start another scoring frame.  He singled again.  This time Willis bunted Hernandez over.  Stubbs walked.  Cozart grounded to third.  Casey McGehee threw to Weeks to force Stubbs but Weeks threw the relay away and Hernandez scored.

Aroldis Chapman threw two impressive innings, striking out four.  The Brewers couldn't touch him.  He struck out the side in the seventh.

Chapman needed to go to Louisville to get straightened out but has come back and thrown well, giving the Reds a lefthanded "Missile" as a weapon for the second half.