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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Two leadoff triples, two empty innings. The
Arizona Diamondbacks knew they couldn't let a third scoring chance
slip away.
They didn't. Luis Gonzalez doubled with two outs in the eighth
inning Friday night, driving in the go-ahead run, and the
Diamondbacks held on for a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The Reds lost shortly after captain Barry Larkin revealed a
tentative deal that would send him to the New York Mets. Larkin,
who has spent his entire career with Cincinnati, has to decide
whether to approve it.
|  | | Barry Larkin fans show their support after learning he could be going to the Mets if he OKs a trade. Read one sign: "Our Ship Will Sink Without The Captain." |
The game ended with Larkin drawing a two-out walk from Matt
Mantei, bringing up Ken Griffey Jr. Mantei threw three 99-mph
fastballs past Griffey to end it.
"I think I thrive on those situations, believe it or not,"
said Mantei, who got his sixth save in eight chances. "I wish I
had a dollar for every time I've walked a guy to bring up the big
hitter.
"He's a great hitter. He's going to be in the Hall of Fame.
Striking out a big hitter like that is fun."
The 46,101 fans on hand for the game and a Beach Boys concert
afterward were on their feet, snapping photos, when Griffey came to
bat. A hush came over them when Griffey swung through a high
fastball for strike three.
"They wanted to see a home run," manager Jack McKeon said.
"That's what we wanted. It didn't work out that way."
Nothing worked out right for the Reds in their first home game
since the club informed Larkin that it won't meet his request for a
three-year, $27.9 million extension. The Reds and Mets worked out a
trade that requires Larkin's approval.
The commissioner's office has to give permission for a 72-hour
negotiating window, allowing the Mets to talk to Larkin.
Several pro-Larkin banners fluttered around the stadium and he
got a louder than usual round of applause in his first at-bat. He
went 0-for-3 with a pair of walks.
After wasting leadoff triples in the sixth and seventh -- both
set up by Dante Bichette's misplays in right field -- the
Diamondbacks finally got a clutch hit and broke a 4-all tie in the
eighth.
A walk and Jay Bell's two-out single off Scott Sullivan (1-4)
left runners on first and third. Gonzalez hit a ground-rule double
off Dennys Reyes for the go-ahead run, leaving him 3-for-3 career
off the left-hander.
"When you've done well against a pitcher, you have some
confidence against him," Gonzalez said. "You try to go over some
old at-bats in your mind, you try to get ahead in the count and you
try to get something in the air."
He did all three.
Greg Swindell (2-3) retired both batters he faced in the
seventh, getting Griffey on a groundout and Bichette on a
strikeout.
Neither starter could hold a lead or keep runners off base for
very long. Arizona's Mike Morgan, making his fourth start of the
season, gave up 10 hits in five innings and left with the score
tied at 4.
Steve Parris wasn't much better, giving up nine hits in six
innings while wasting a pair of leads. Sean Casey's two-run double
put the Reds ahead in the first and extended his hitting streak to
a career-high 14 games.
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with the help of an
intentional two-out walk in the second to bring up Morgan. His soft
single to center drove in a run that tied it at 2.
Parris matched Morgan by slapping an RBI single off a fake bunt
as the Reds went up 3-2 in the second, but let his self-fashioned
lead get away in the fourth. Steve Finley led off with his 27th
homer and Erubiel Durazo singled and came around on a pair of wild
pitches and Danny Bautista's groundout for a 4-3 lead.
Dmitri Young's two-out single in the bottom of the fifth tied it
once again.
Game notes
Morgan extended his hitting streak to four games with his
two singles. He's 7-for-14 at the plate this season. ... Morgan
remained winless as a starter this season. He's 4-0 with five saves
in 31 relief appearances, 0-2 in four starts. ... Cincinnati's
Larry Luebbers, scheduled to start Saturday's game, was scratched
Friday night because of tightness in his forearm. Ron Villone will
start in his place. ... Bichette had a pair of hits, extending his
hitting streak to a season-high 15 games. ... 3B Aaron Boone was
fitted for a brace for his sprained left knee Friday. He'll start
testing the knee in the next 10 days, when the Reds will decide
whether to activate him or consider surgery. ... A banner in center
read: "Our Ship Will Sink Without The Captain."
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Arizona Clubhouse
Cincinnati Clubhouse
Reds to trade Larkin to Mets if he approves deal
RECAPS
Chi. White Sox 8
Boston 5
Kansas City 4
Detroit 0
NY Yankees 11
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Toronto 5
Minnesota 2
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Texas 3
Chicago Cubs 4
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Pittsburgh 9
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Arizona 5
Cincinnati 4
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NY Mets 3
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Houston 1
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