Thanks to Phillips, Reds win one they shouldn't

Man, I love Brandon Phillips. I’m starting to love this whole team. Yesterday was a common case of a 7-6 ballgame that they ended up winning that they should have lost. It shouldn’t have been a split, and they should only be 1/2 game up on the Cardinals right now.
But in special seasons, seasons where you make that unexpected run; yesterday’s win are the type that you start to pile up. It’s the type of win that makes up for the gut-wrenching losses.

It’s starting to become a theme in these afternoon business day specials; the Reds making a dramatic late-inning comeback. It was the 12th time in the 2010 season that the Reds have won in their final at-bat.

Mike Leake didn’t have his best stuff, but he was gritty enough to stay unbeaten. That’s the mark of a young pitcher maturing. Everyone in the big leagues goes through that on the mound. Color me still impressed with Leake.
Jay Bruce, Johnny Gomes, and Joey Votto all delivered key hits. How about Heisey coming off the bench to get two hits?
Hell, even Ramon Hernandez is growing on me a little bit. I’m interested to see what veteran/electric arms around the league that Walt Jocketty can add to the group of Rhodes (who got the victory), Cordero, and Del Rosario. If Ondrusek can start getting outs consistently I think his stuff is good enough that he could be a guy that sticks around. But if we can add a couple players to this group that mesh in well–and everyone stays healthy–this team is starting to realize that it’s going to be around.
That’s a dangerous thing in baseball.