Reds ‘gettin’ back to fun again’ with eight-game winning streak

The motto followed a 74-88 season, which followed the worst season in franchise history, a 61-101 finish in 1982. Despite the positive thinking, the Reds did not get back to fun in 1984, starting 4-10 and falling out of contention in early June en route to a 70-92 record.

Two years later, second baseman Ron Oester said, “I was tired of (the slogan) after a week. We just didn’t have the team or the talent. They all said we had it, but we didn’t. We were too young, too inexperienced.”

All the experts thought the same about the 2023 Reds, who looked to be on their way to living up to those expectations with a 7-15 start that left them 8½ games out of first place on April 23.

Then the Reds, to steal a phrase, started “gettin’ back to fun again.” They won their last five games in May to reach 26-29 only to lose three in row to the Milwaukee Brewers. They have since won 11 of 13 games, including the last eight on a nine-game road trip. They completed a three-game sweep of the defending World Series champion Houston Astros with a 9-7 victory in 10 innings Sunday.

“To be able to do that against a team like that on the road is huge,” outfielder Jake Fraley told reporters in Houston on Sunday. “I think it shows we’re going to continue to keep our foot on the gas pedal.”

“That game today, that was impressive,” manager David Bell said Sunday. “It was a great road trip, but today, it wasn’t a perfect game, but we overcame mistakes. That’s what it’s all about. ... To be able to stay with it, to play the same game no matter what, that’s how you do it. That’s how it’s supposed to feel, the way we feel right now. We’ve got to hold onto that and just keep going.”

In honor of the winning streak, here are eight ways the Reds are fun again:

1. In contention: The Reds (37-35) climbed within a half game of first place in the National League Central Division on Saturday and remained there despite the victory Sunday. The Milwaukee Brewers (37-34) swept the Pittsburgh Pirates (34-36) to take over first place.

The Reds are two games back in the wild-card race.

2. Rare territory: The Reds haven’t been this close to first place this late in the season since 2012 when they last won the division.

3. Building momentum: The Reds are 14-6 in their last 20 games. That’s tied for the second-best record in that span.

4. Comeback kids: The Reds lead the National League with 23 come-from-behind victories.

5. Winning streak: The Reds own the longest active winning streak in baseball this season. It’s their longest winning streak since they won 10 games in a row in 2012.

6. Above .500: This is the seventh time this century the Reds have had a winning record after 72 games. They were 43-29 in 2013, 40-32 in 2012 and 2004, 39-33 in 2010 and 2006 and 38-34 in 2002. The Reds’ best record through 72 games was 51-21 in 1970.

7. Road warriors: The Reds have won five straight road series for the first time since 2014.

8. Rookie success: The Reds are 9-2 since the debut of infielder Elly De La Cruz on June 6. He has started all but one game since his promotion from Triple-A Louisville. He went 2-for-5 in each of the last two games in Houston, raising his average to .273.