Reds 9, Marlins 3

After last Saturday's game, I shared an elevator at Pfister in Milwaukee with Pete Mackanin and his wife.

I said, "Well, I just wrote that you guys are still in race."

"Somebody had to say it," he said.

That was night he said: "You win eight or 10 in a row, and you never know."

I don't know if it was psychological ploy or wishful thinking. But the Reds have won seven of eight since then and are 6 1/2 games back. They've done it with a makeshift rotation. But when you're scoring a ton runs and bullpen is pitching well, you don't need seven strong innings every night. When you get a start like Tom Shearn gave the Reds today, winning looks easy.

The mathematics of winning the Central are still daunting. If the Cubs go 16-17 the rest of the way, the Reds would have to go 22-10, just to tie. But, you've got to admit, it's starting to feel like the Reds have a chance.