Proof these teams are evenly-matched, the hard way. Reds lose 8-3.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Sam LeCure. Le Man continues to be nails. After a Sept/Oct where he allowed a .063/.167/.094 (!!!) line to opposing batters, he's now entered in two very messy situations during this series and cleaned things up. Leake was inexplicably allowed to go three batters into the fifth inning - the first two of which clubbed doubles - before being lifted. LeCure got the next two outs, returning in the sixth to strike out the side after a Hunter Pence single.

Key Plays

• The writing was on the wall early for Leake, though he was able to limit damage to one run in the first after a lead-off away-run by Angel "Contradictory Name" Pagan and a double by Posey.
• Zito looked every bit Leake's equal in the home half. The Reds evened things up with an bases-loaded RBI walk by ROY, but settled for one. That would be the game in miniature.
• A bunch of unmentionable things happened after that, mixed in with a Ludwick solo shot and a Brandon Phillips sac fly. In case it would influence your "Reds to be pissed at" list for tonight, Drew Stubbs doubled before that sac fly.
  
• For a reasons I'm sure won't make sense in the morning, Jose Arredondo was brought into pitch in the 7th inning of a 5-3 playoff game. Although he could've given up -1 runs and it wouldn't have mattered.
• Reds lose 8-3. They'll play the Big Game tomorrow.

Source: FanGraphs

Other Notes!

• I still haven't shaved my playoff beard. I can't remember what the right thing to do is in this situation.
• Joey Votto has been on base at pretty much the exact same rate he has been all season (.470), so any wining about him being part of the problem doesn't wash. But would you move him up to 1st or 2nd in the order? Why am I torturing myself?
  
• No NL team has ever failed to advance after going up 2-0 in the NLDS - and only four teams total in 42 series since the beginning of 3-division play.
  
• No Reds team has even not advanced to the NLCS after having won two NLDS games.
• Turn on the light, Reds fans.