Positives

–Mike Leake pitched six productive — if not entirely efficient — innings to pick up his ninth win of the season. He allowed just one run on three hits, though he did walk four.

It could have easily been a different game, if the Marlins had been able to convert after loading the bases with no outs on Leake (thanks partly to an error on the pitcher) in the bottom of the third. Leake somehow worked his way out of the jam without surrendering a single run, and the Reds continued to lead 3-0.

–Shame on me for talking about a pitcher first, on a day when the Reds gave us some offense. Todd Frazier led the charge with four hits and an RBI. Devin Mesoraco was 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Billy Hamilton and Jay Bruce each had two hits and an RBI; Hamilton scored three times.

–Zack Cozart had a two-out RBI single in the second. Ryan Ludwick had a run-scoring double in the third.

–Jonathan Broxton struck out the side in the ninth…well, he allowed a leadoff triple first, if that matters to you.

–JJ Hoover tossed a perfect inning in the seventh!

Negatives

–JJ Hoover gave up a walk and a two-run homer in the eighth!

Not so random thoughts….

–Hey, the Reds actually won a series! Even better, they moved back above .500 on the season.

–That was the first series win for the Redlegs since the All-Star break, and the first time they’ve scored more than five runs. They’ve beaten the Marlins eight of the last nine times the teams have gotten together.

–Somehow, the Reds had 15 hits, but only one of those were of the extra-base variety.

–I’ve been as critical of Bryan Price as anyone else, but he should probably win the Manager of the Year award. He has this team over .500, despite all the injuries, despite Jay Bruce’s disappointing season, and despite the fact that he has been forced to play the likes of Kris Negron, Skip Schumaker, Ramon Santiago, and Brayan Pena so often.

Okay, maybe not manager of the year. He’s no Joe Maddon…but maybe he’s not Jerry Narron either?

–Cincinnati’s 15 hits are the most they’ve collected in a single game since the All-Star break. Actually, now that I think of it, I’m not sure they’ve gotten 15 hits total since the break before today.

–I really want JJ Hoover to get it together. He seems like a good kid, and he has been very good for the Reds before this season. This year has been a disaster from day one, though. Relievers are such a strange and short-lived species (not that I’m giving up on Hoover yet).

–When Billy Hamilton scores three times, Chad is happy.