The Enquirer

Despite a late-season collapse, the Reds are in position to have their best season since 2000. Whether that's the good news or the bad news is subject to debate.

They entered Saturday 61-66. They needed to go only 8-27 the rest of the season to match their victory total of last season, when they were 69-93.

If they would manage to go 18-17 for the rest of the season, they would finish 79-83. That would be their best mark since going 85-77 in 2000.

Note: Of their final 35 games, 18 are against teams with losing records. Six are against Houston, which entered Saturday two games over .500.

A losing skid of epic proportions

The Reds face the prospect of a fourth straight losing season for the first time since 1955.

That season, the Reds had the last of a run of 11 consecutive losing seasons.

Fast fact: From 1961 through 1981, the Reds had 19 winning seasons out of 21.

Trivia question

Aaron Harang's complete-game shutout Thursday was the team's first nine-inning complete game of the season. Who led the Reds with two complete games in 2003?

Who's hot: Brandon Larson

What, you say? Well, Larson last week became the Louisville Bats' all-time leader in RBI with 223.

Larson already had been the franchise leader in home runs (69), grand slams (4) and extra-base hits (146).

Who's also hot

The Reds' young starting pitchers - Brandon Claussen, Josh Hancock, Luke Hudson and Aaron Harang - entered Saturday with a streak of nine straight good starts. Here's a look:

Date	Pitcher	Opp.	IP	ER	W/L
8-17	Claussen	Cards	6	1	-
8-18	Hancock	Cards	6 2/3	2	W
8-20	Hudson	D'backs	6	0	W
8-21	Harang	D'backs	6	2	L
8-22	Claussen	D'backs	5 1/3	1	W
Tue.	Hancock	Cards	6	2	-
Wed.	Hudson	Cards	6	2	-
Thur.	Harang	Cards	9	0	W
Fri.	Claussen	D'backs	6	3	-
Totals			57	13	4-1

The starters, all 27 or younger, had a 2.05 ERA in that time.

By the numbers (Entering Saturday)

175: Home runs allowed by Reds pitchers, second most in the NL.

37-15: Reds' record when pitchers walk two or fewer batters in a game.

1.37: ERA by reliever Ryan Wagner in his past 16 appearances, covering 19 2/3 innings.

8.18: ERA by reliever Gabe White in his past 21 appearances, covering 22 innings.

7: Times the Reds have hit back-to-back home runs, the last of which was Adam Dunn and D'Angelo Jimenez against the Cardinals on Wednesday.

Trivia answer

Danny Graves led the 2003 Red with two complete games.

The week ahead

The Reds open a three-game home series against Houston Monday, beginning a stretch of 13 consecutive games against the Astros and Brewers.