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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- A riveting game full of sensational defense
was left up to the player with the most Gold Gloves on the field.
|  | | Dmitri Young, right, provided the game-winning run with his eighth-inning homer. |
Ken Griffey Jr. made a diving catch, turned a double play and at
least temporarily turned the Cincinnati Reds around.
The 10-time American League Gold Glove center fielder snuffed out Colorado's
rally with his catch in the eighth, and Dmitri Young homered in the
bottom of the inning as the Reds beat the Rockies 3-2 Tuesday
night, ending a six-game losing streak.
Young's eighth homer on the first pitch from Pedro Astacio (6-4)
ended the Reds' longest losing streak in two years. They've dropped
11 of 13 overall, a free fall that has left them with a losing
record at 33-35.
Without Griffey's play, that record might be one loss worse.
"We made some great plays and so did they," said Colorado's
Todd Helton, who hit a pair of solo homers. "A great play saved the game for them."
It came down to one play because the Reds' offense remained
stuck in neutral most of the night -- they stranded at least one
runner in every inning -- and all the Rockies managed were two
homers by Helton, who raised his NL-leading average to .396.
"We had two, Todd Helton had two, the defense was all over the
place," Young said.
Reds starter Osvaldo Fernandez came out of the game after giving
up Mike Lansing's double just inside third base with one out in the
eighth.
Dennys Reyes walked Larry Walker, and Danny Graves (9-1) came on
to face Jeff Cirillo, who hit a soft fly to center on the first pitch. Griffey charged and made a diving catch, then threw to
second to get Lansing for a double play.
Cirillo thought it was a hit when the ball left his bat. So did
Graves.
"I was going to back up home plate, but then I stopped,"
Graves said. "I can't tell you what I said when he caught it. If
it had dropped, I wouldn't have been able to back up anywhere."
Lansing initially hesitated, then took off for home when it
looked like the ball would drop, leaving Griffey with an easy
double play once he got up off the turf.
"That's all Griffey," Rockies manager Buddy Bell said. "It's
not to blame anybody. That's just what happens when a guy makes a
great play. Lansing did what a trillion other players would have
done in that situation."
Before the game, the Reds did what most teams do when they're
facing desperate times: They held a meeting. First, the players met
by themselves, then manager Jack McKeon spoke to them for a few
minutes, giving one of his rare pep talks.
"I think we're on the same page," McKeon said. "We just said,
'Let's grind it out. We're better than that and we know it and
believe it."'
Young went 3-for-4, including a single in Cincinnati's two-run
first. Barry Larkin doubled and came around on Dante Bichette's
two-out single to right. Young's single and Sean Casey's
ground-rule double made it 2-0.
As it has throughout their slump, the Reds' offense fizzled
after a promising start. Cincinnati failed to score after getting
the leadoff batter aboard in three consecutive innings.
Center fielder Tom Goodwin took a homer away from Larkin in the
second, when he timed his jump and reached above the yellow padding
atop the wall in center to grab the ball.
Helton's two homers gave him 21 on the year. Helton, the
Rockies' top hitter on the road, is 14-for-29 career at Cinergy
Field.
Jeffrey Hammonds doubled in the fifth, extending his hitting
streak to 17 games. It's the longest of his career and longest for
the Rockies this season.
Game notes
It was the 13th multihomer game of Helton's career and
fifth this season ... In their last four games, Rockies starters
have walked only three batters. ... Cirillo went 0-for-4, ending
his 11-game hitting streak. ... Fernandez is 2-0 in his last five
starts with a 1.48 ERA. ... When Larkin scored in the first inning,
he tied Johnny Bench for second on the club's career list with
1,091. Pete Rose scored 1,741 times with Cincinnati. ... Harnisch
threw 80 pitches in batting practice before the game. Harnisch,
disabled by a weak shoulder, could start next Thursday against St.
Louis.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Cincinnati Clubhouse
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Oakland 8
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NY Yankees 3
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