"THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO."

Reds' manager Dusty Baker has not been thrown out of a game since April 25, 2009 when he was ejected along with Jerry Hairston. Known for his collected composure, Scott Rolen has only been ejected two times during his major league career prior to Wednesday. Both men exploded when umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called a full-count fastball from Clayton Kershaw a strike during the sixth inning of the Reds' loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday.

After attempting a stroll to first, Rolen argued with Wendelstedt concerning the location of the pitch. Rolen must have said the magic word as Wendelstedt ejected him faster than a bat out of hell. Dusty Baker then emerged from the Reds' dugout continuing Rolen's dispute, and was also briskly tossed. On AM radio, both Marty Brennaman and Jeff Brantley concurred that the pitch was an obvious makeup call from a previous Wendelstedt blunder during the same at-bat. The pitch should have been ball four, sending Rolen to first, and loading the bases for Jonny Gomes with no one out.

“I was upset,” Rolen said. “I thought that was a big at-bat, a game-changing at-bat, possibly. I reacted to that.”

“I saw it the same way Scott saw it,” Baker said. “That was a big call in the game. They’re human, too, but you don’t have to like it.”

The Reds went on to lose the game 6-2. Mike Leake received his first major league loss (5-1, 3.02) in a disappointing start (6IP, 9H, 5ER) for the Reds. The Reds have lost three straight games and five of their last eight. Somehow they have managed to remain tied for first place with the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.

“Don’t panic,” Baker said. “You’re going to go through periods like this. There’s a long way to go, and you go hot and cold sometimes.”

Sound familiar? Dusty Baker's mentality is currently identical to one month ago, when the Reds initially emerged atop the NL Central.

Bronson Arroyo (5-3, 4.80) will attempt to salvage a win against John Ely (3-3, 3.38) and the Dodgers at 12:35pm on Thursday.

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