CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

On Monday night, the Reds opened a three game series with the Braves in Atlanta. Rookie Bobby Livingston pitched for the Reds and did a so-so job on the mound. At the plate, it was a different story. He went 4-4 and spurred his mates to a 10-3 blowout win. Ken Griffey Jr hit his 24th round tripper of the year; a 3-run job in the second inning. It was Jr's 587th home run of his career moving him into 6th place on the all-time list.


On Tuesday night, Bronson Arroyo spun his best game of the year. He pitched seven innings of 3-hit shut-out ball with nine strike-outs and two walks. He left with a 6-0 lead. Of course, the bull pen went shaky in the 8th and allowed the Braves to get back into it. Ancient Mike Stanton gave up four in the eighth and David Weathers allowed one in the ninth as the Reds won their second in a row by a 6-5 score.

On Wednesday, the Reds went for the sweep with Aaron Harang on the mound against John Smoltz. We had a good ol' pitchers battle into the seventh when the Braves broke through for a run. In the eighth, Adam Dunn followed a Griffey single with a 2-run blast to put the Reds up with a good chance to win but Atlanta came back to tie it in the bottom of the inning. It went into extra innings and each team scored in the tenth. It stayed that way until the 15th inning when Brandon Phillips, who thought he had the day off, fired a 2-run single up the middle. Michael Gosling, who pitched the last 2-2/3 innings, gave up a run in the bottom of the inning but was able to post his 1st win of the season 5-4.


On Thursday night, the Reds were in Miami for the first of four with the Florida Marlins. Matt Belisle was the starter. The offense got him off on the right foot with three runs in the first. Belisle didn't take advantage and gave up five in five innings. In the eighth, the Reds broke back through with four runs, three on a Ryan Freel home run. Weathers closed it out for the fourth win in a row.


On Friday night, the 'fish' speared the Redlegs by an 10-2 score. Kyle Lohse was the starting pitcher and went two outs into the seventh giving up seven runs only four of which were earned. It was his error that caused the other runs to be unearned. Jeff Conine and Brandon Phillips each homered for Cincinnati's run production. The bullpen reverted to its old ways giving up three runs in the eighth.


On Saturday night Jerry Narron was fully vindicated. For a while it looked like a change in the name on the manager's office door had cured the bullpen's late (8th) inning woes. Starter Bobby Livingston gave up two homers in the seventh and left with the Reds trailing 3-1. Then comes the bullpen. Curt Saarloos, Jon Coutlangus and Todd Coffey joined together to allow the Marlins to score eight runs in the eighth and embarrass our boys by an 11-1 score. None of these three relievers got a batter out. Coffey pitched to five batters in the inning and every one of them got a hit. Woe is me.

More of the same on Sunday, as Bronson Arroyo tried to stem the tide. He pitched into the seventh and gave up four runs. Jeff Keppinger had four hits and hit his first homer. All this means nothing when you have a bull pen like the Reds have. Florida whipped Cincinnati 9-3. In the last three games, the Reds were outscored by a 30 - 6 score.

During the week, the Reds jumped into fourth place in their division but by week's end they were back in last place with a 41-58 record and 14 games behind Milwaukee. Nothing can save this bunch.