| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The nine cases of champagne chilling in the
visitors' clubhouse at County Stadium are still ice-cold.
The Cincinnati Reds came to Milwaukee with confidence, solid
pitching and control of their postseason destiny. But in less than
24 hours, the Reds' pitching staff collapsed twice and their
playoff hopes took two big blows from the Milwaukee Brewers, a team
playing only for pride.
|
SUNDAY'S GAME
|
|
4:05 p.m. ET (ESPN2, joined in progress)
Pete Harnisch (15-10, 3.78) vs. Cal Eldred (2-7, 7.52)
Harnisch has been the Reds' best starter this year and he's pitching on his regular four days' rest.
Harnisch vs. Brewers: 2-1, 4.20, 15 IP, 20 H
Harnisch in Sept.: 2-2, 3.72
Eldred vs. Reds: 0-1, 6.29, 6.2 IP, 9 H
Eldred in Sept.: 1-0, 4.09
|
The Brewers scored seven runs in the third inning and beat the
Reds 10-6 Saturday, imperiling Cincinnati's hopes of holding off
Houston and New York for the final two NL playoff spots.
Cincinnati dropped one game behind Houston in the NL Central
when the Astros beat Los Angeles 3-0. The Reds also fell into a tie
for the wild-card spot with New York, which beat Pittsburgh 7-0.
The Reds, who seemed happy and confident only hours earlier,
looked shell-shocked as they left the field.
"We just didn't do anything," Reds manager Jack McKeon said.
"Our pitching didn't hold up, and we didn't get enough big hits.
It's not like us to play this way."
One day after the Reds' pitching staff blew a three-run lead in
the late innings of Milwaukee's 4-3 win, Cincinnati's Juan Guzman had his worst start in more than two years. The Reds had won six
straight games before losing at Houston on Wednesday, but
Saturday's loss was their third in a row.
The Reds haven't lost four straight games all season, but then
again, they haven't played under this much pressure in years. The
regular season concludes on Sunday, and even a win won't guarantee
the Reds a postseason berth.
"Our guys are going to have to be hungry for tomorrow," Greg Vaughn said. "I mean, this is it. Every single guy in here has to play like it's our last game ever."
Guzman, acquired from Baltimore for the stretch run, was shelled
for five runs in the third, and he made a critical error that
allowed Milwaukee's inning to stay alive.
Cincinnati's bullpen, which has carried the Reds this far with
usually excellent work, again struggled on a chilly fall afternoon.
Dennys Reyes relieved Guzman but couldn't retire a batter, and Stan Belinda allowed two more runs in the fourth inning.
Though their season essentially has been a disaster on and off
the field, the Brewers are taking their spoiler role very
seriously. They're playing their best baseball of the season while
making matters miserable for both Houston and Cincinnati.
Milwaukee has won 13 of its last 19. The Brewers took two of
three games from the Astros last week before beating Cincinnati
twice.
"It's a great storyline for us," said Jeff Cirillo, who went
3-for-5 and drove in two runs. "Now it'll come down to the last
game. It's exciting, especially when you're playing like we are now."
Cincinnati led 1-0 entering the third, but Guzman (6-3) allowed
singles to Kevin Barker and Brian Banks. Pitcher Kyle Peterson bunted and reached base when Guzman couldn't field the ball, and Marquis Grissom hit a two-run single.
After Mark Loretta sacrificed, Cirillo hit another two-run
single. Guzman was yanked, but Reyes allowed singles to Jeromy Burnitz and Geoff Jenkins. Rookie Ron Belliard, who hit the
game-winning single in Milwaukee's win on Friday, then doubled.
It was the normally reliable Guzman's shortest start since May
13, 1997, when he was pitching for Toronto. He threw just 40
pitches.
"I feel so disappointed, because I just couldn't get even a
little bit lucky," Guzman said. "I needed to pitch a good game
today. I'm so disappointed."
Jenkins and Belliard also had RBI doubles in the fourth against
Belinda.
Peterson (4-7) got the win but wasn't sharp. Dmitri Young hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning that cut Milwaukee's lead to
7-4, but Peterson retired the next six hitters before tiring in the
sixth.
Eddie Taubensee drove in runs for the Reds with a single in the sixth and a double in the eighth. Cincinnati hit three doubles in the eighth and had runners on second and third with one out and the score 9-6, but Pokey Reese popped up and Mark Sweeney grounded out.
Burnitz drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to score Milwaukee's final run.
The Reds got a scare in the third inning when Peterson hit Reese
on the wrist. Reese dropped to the ground, but he eventually went
to first base and stole second.
Reese then scored the game's first run on Mike Cameron's single. Cameron left the game in the fourth inning with a strained left
hamstring.
Game notes
The Reds recorded a rare double before the game. Starter Denny Neagle was named the NL Pitcher of the Month for September, and Vaughn was named Player of the Month. Neagle pitched six strong
innings but got no decision in Cincinnati's 4-3, 10-inning loss on
Friday night. Vaughn hit his 44th homer in the game. ... The
Brewers announced an attendance of 20,000. ... Jeff D'Amico pitched a scoreless ninth for Milwaukee in his first appearance since Sep.
27, 1997. He missed all of last season with recurring shoulder
problems which required arthroscopic surgery last August.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cincinnati Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 7
Cleveland 3
Seattle 10
Oakland 2
NY Yankees 3
Tampa Bay 2
Boston 8
Baltimore 0
Chi. White Sox 6
Minnesota 1
Detroit 4
Kansas City 3
Anaheim 15
Texas 3
Florida 1
Atlanta 0
Milwaukee 10
Cincinnati 6
Chicago Cubs 6
St. Louis 3
San Francisco 16
Colorado 7
Houston 3
Los Angeles 0
Montreal 13
Philadelphia 3
NY Mets 7
Pittsburgh 0
Arizona 7
San Diego 5
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Greg Vaughn says it's going to take a team effort to get back in the W column.
wav: 147 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Jack McKeon knows his team is in a must-win situation.
wav: 77 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
