First there is 79-52. That’s the best record in baseball, and it belongs to the Reds following Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the D-backs.
Then there’s seven. That’s the National League Central lead the Reds now hold over the second-place Cardinals, who lost to the Pirates earlier in the day. There are only 31 games remaining.
“We’re playing good baseball. We’re winning series,” said third baseman Scott Rolen, who earned a walk after a 15-pitch plate appearance in a three-run second inning that gave the Reds the lead for good. “The Cardinals played well against us back home but we just made it up. We’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing, trying to win series by pitching well and playing good defense.”
Try 17. That’s Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto’s wins total, giving him sole possession of the Major League lead. But Cueto says he’s not done.
“All I can promise right now is I’m going to keep going because I want to win at least 20 games,” Cueto said through an interpreter.
Why not 2.48? That’s the best ERA in the NL and it belongs to Cueto.
With 33, you have Aroldis Chapman’s save total. With 25, that’s the club-record number of consecutive saves Chapman has converted after pitching the ninth inning Tuesday.
Finally, 62 and six. Todd Frazier leads all NL rookies with 62 RBIs is tied for the rookie lead in triples with six as he padded his numbers while being opposed by a fellow NL Rookie of the Year contender in D-backs southpaw Wade Miley.
Although Miley pitched a nice game for seven innings, he will remain stuck at 14 victories. Cueto turned in a sterling seven innings while allowing two runs and four hits with one walk and five strikeouts to move to 17-6.
As the season nears the end, Cueto is continually enhancing his credentials in a crowded NL Cy Young Award race. He is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA over his past four starts and 8-1 with a 2.69 ERA in his past 10. Out of his 27 starts, he’s allowed two runs or fewer 19 times.
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