RED LEGS strike with Four early...then HOLLIDAY goes BIG MAC Land and CRAIG sends it to BASEBALL Tonight...REDBIRDS go TRUE BLOOD and draw First Blood...A CUP of JOE in the SHOW Report "Just Another MANIC Monday" #REDBIRDShardball #NLCentralBiz

The Red Legs started off with a four run 2nd inning and the Redbirds decided to play "Big Mac" Land and go "Big Fly " off Red Legs Pitching. Redbirds LF Matt Holliday hits the Target (Big Mac Land) in the bottom half of the 3rd frame for a three-run job to make it 4-3 Red Legs. The Red Legs them move to 5-3 in the 6th then lightning struck Cincy in the bottom half of the 7th. With Ducks all over the Pond and the Redbirds leading the Show with runners in scoring position with one out left Redbirds RBI Leader Allen Craig goes opposite of "Big Mac" Land in left for a Granny. Redbirds Nation touch'em all as that would be the ball game as the Red Legs get a Solo Shot from Jay Bruce in the 8th but too little too late...Redbirds 8 Red Legs 6.

The Red Legs Starter Mike Leake was cruising until that three-run bomb off the Maple of Matt Holliday and he ended up going 6 1/3 giving up five runs. Red Birds Starter Tyler Lyons settled down after the damage was already done as he goes five allowing four runs. The Red Legs Middle Relief let them down in this one as J.J. Hoover gave up the Granny to Craig.

Now the Red Legs are 3 1/2 back of the Redbirds as the Cards move into first place in the NL Central with the Pittsburgh Pirates idle. Those Head to Head Match ups are priceless and Cincy has to put this one in their back pocket.