Now in its sixth season as the home of the Cincinnati Reds, Great American Ball Park has been known mostly for serving as a veritable launching pad for home runs.
The homers are still flying, but the park on the banks of the Ohio River is developing a new reputation - as a place the Reds can't lose.Cincinnati will look to win 10 straight home games for the first time in nearly 30 years on Thursday when it goes for a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Reds (25-28) have struggled all season on the road, where their 9-19 record is one of baseball's worst. But they weren't winning at home either through the early part of 2008. Cincinnati was just 7-9 at Great American Ball Park after a 3-0 loss to Chicago on May 6.
But the Reds emphatically turned the tables on the Cubs the next day, winning 9-0, and they haven't lost at home since. They scored six in the first on Wednesday en route to a 9-1 win over the Pirates (24-28), their ninth straight victory in Cincinnati for the first time since 1980.
"You've got to win somewhere," manager Dusty Baker told the team's official Web site. "It might as well be at home until we figure out how to do it on the road."
Cincinnati hasn't won 10 in a row at home since taking its last 10 of the 1978 season.
The Reds have outscored the opposition 61-32 during their current nine-game streak. They haven't scored fewer than four runs and have allowed three or fewer five times.
Cincinnati has also homered at least once in each game, not surprising in a ballpark that has ranked among the three-most homer friendly in baseball for the past three seasons.
Left fielder Adam Dunn has been a big reason for that. The park's all-time leader in home runs (116), Dunn has homered in six of the Reds' last nine home games.
Cincinnati will look to Aaron Harang (2-6, 3.32 ERA) to keep the streak going. Harang, who has pitched well but gotten very little run support, is coming off his first relief appearance in nearly two years.
He pitched four innings on Sunday in San Diego in the Reds' 12-9 loss in 18 innings. Harang allowed no runs on two hits while striking out nine, then was pushed back a day in Baker's rotation due to the extra work.
"The first time my spot came up, they wanted to pinch-hit for me then," Harang said. "I told Dusty I wanted to stay out there. He said, 'Fine.'"
Harang is 4-0 with a 3.57 ERA in seven starts against Pittsburgh in Cincinnati.
The Pirates are trying to avoid getting swept on the road for the first time since they dropped three in Chicago from April 18-20.
Pittsburgh is just four games under .500 despite having the worst starting pitching in the major leagues. After Tom Gorzelanny allowed six runs in just two-thirds of an inning on Wednesday, the Pirates' rotation has a 5.83 ERA.
"It's a vicious cycle that just keeps going," pitching coach Jeff Andrews told the Pirates' official Web site. "It's really hard to get out of, and they're the only ones who can. Throwing strikes is a mental thing."
Phil Dumatrait (1-2, 4.05) will try to improve the staff's ERA in his first start against his former team. Dumatrait, who was moved up a day to give starter Zach Duke (finger) an extra day of rest, has pitched well in five starts with Pittsburgh.
He went 5 1-3 innings on Saturday against the Cubs, allowing one run, though he didn't get a decision in the Pirates 5-4, 14-inning win.
Dumatrait was claimed off waivers in October after struggling in six starts with the Reds last season.
