The Cincinnati Reds showed their true colors on Sunday, but only after the game had ended. After nearly blowing a seven run lead in the ninth inning (five runs in with the go ahead run at the plate), they began to gesture toward the Cardinals' dugout. Even after winning the division last year, the Reds are still showing the youth and lack of experience that got them no-hit and eventually swept out of the playoffs by the Phillies. Even after sweeping the redbirds, the division lead for Cincinnati is just a game and a half. They were acting like they had clinched the division and put the Cardinals out of the wild card hunt as well on Sunday, rather than having just won a series in mid-May. With the way the Cards' offense has come alive and the consistency that their rotation has shown, the Cardinals should be in the thick of things in September, especially if they can get their bullpen in order. The bullpen blew another ninth inning lead in Friday's game, not to mention a three run lead over the last three innings. In the three game series at the Great American Ballpark, the St. Louis bullpen allowed eight runs in just eight innings of work. An ERA of 9.00 from your bullpen isn't going to cut it, especially on the road against your biggest competition for the division.
Photo from NBC Sports
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