Sunday, April 11, 1999

CARDINALS 4, REDS 2

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No relief in sight

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sean Casey makes a late tag (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        ST. LOUIS — The most difficult innings for pitchers are supposed to be the first, because a starter is trying to establish himself; the fifth, since he's on the threshold of qualifying for a win; and the ninth, when the ace or closer is on the brink of victory. This axiom hasn't applied to the Reds so far this year.

        Their bugaboo is far and away the eighth inning, which has doomed them in each of their four defeats, including Saturday's 4-2 loss to the St.Louis Cardinals.

        Saturday's game was tied 2-2 entering the eighth. Then rookie right-hander Scott Williamson unraveled before 43,759 witnesses at Busch Stadium.

        Williamson walked Placido Polanco and yielded J.D. Drew's solid single to open the inning. John Hudek replaced Williamson and walked Mark McGwire to load the bases before Eric Davis, the former Reds star, lined a two-run single.

EIGHT IS TOO MUCH

As the Reds have lost four out of five games, their bullpen has suffered an eighth-inning collapse in each defeat. Here's a breakdown:   • April 5: Score tied 8-8. Gabe White yields three-run homer to San Francisco's Charlie Hayes. Final score: 11-8.   • April 6: Reds lead 6-5. Rich Aurilia and Barry Bonds hit RBI doubles off Danny Graves and White, respectively. Final score: 7-6.   • April 7: Reds lead 2-0, behind Steve Avery's one-hit effort. Giants score seven runs with two outs and nobody on base. Final score: 8-3.   • Saturday: Score tied 2-2. Scott Williamson and John Hudek each allow a walk and a single, with Eric Davis' two-run, bases-loaded single serving as the final blow. Final score: 4-2.

             The Reds' eighth-inning woes reflect the relievers' inconsistency. The bullpen has compiled an 0-3 record and a 10.80 ERA, compared with 1-1, 4.18 for the starters. Nobody has emerged as a reliable late-inning stopper.

        “You hope you can find somebody who can shut the door. I think everybody's had a shot at it,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said.

        Somewhat ominously, McKeon added: “This is the big leagues. If you want to stay here, you have to do it.”

        Williamson (0-1) did it in spring training, winning a job by throwing enough high-velocity strikes to post an 0.57 ERA in his first 13 appearances. Hudek has done it through most of his five-year major-league career, handling set-up and closer's duties for three teams.

Pokey Reese steals second (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        But after three days' rest and an 0-2 advantage over Polanco, Williamson suddenly lost his control and aggression. The walk to Polanco revived the shortcomings of the Reds' pitching staff, which amassed 23 walks in the first three games. Then came Drew, who was 1-for-13 at the time of his hit.

        “He threw strikes in spring training,” McKeon said of Williamson. “... Throw the ball over the plate and you might get somebody to hit the ball at somebody.”

        Hudek, who surrendered two hits, a home run and a walk while facing just six batters as the Opening Day loser, also lamented his sudden inability to challenge hitters.

        “(I have to) start coming at them,” he said. “Don't try to be so fine or paint the inside corner. Just say, "Hey, let's go at it, me and you.' Today I felt strong, and it wasn't there.”

Mark McGwire grimaces at a called strike (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        McGwire was hitless in seven previous plate appearances against Hudek. But the home-run king also had drawn four walks.

        “I didn't go at him,” Hudek said. “I was looking (to make McGwire hit) a ground ball ... but I tried doing (stuff) that I don't do.”

        Hudek then compromised his chances against Davis by falling behind 2-0. With the infield drawn in to cut off a runner at home plate, Davis whistled the next pitch past shortstop Barry Larkin to score Polanco and Drew.

        “Who knows, if Lark's back, whether (Davis' hit) is more at him,” Hudek said. “I had to go at (Davis). I brought it in there, and he knew it was coming in there. He knew I had to come at him, and that's what I have to do more, let my guys behind me get me out of it, rather than just walking them.”

        As for the Reds, they collected just seven hits off Cardinals starter Jose Jimenez and three relievers.

        Sean Casey's first-inning home run, his third of the season, and Larkin's RBI single that ended an 0-for-10 skid, gave the Reds a 2-0 lead. But they failed to capitalize on a trio of two-on, one-out situations in the final five innings.

        On most days, starter Brett Tomko's performance (two runs and four hits allowed in seven innings) would have complemented a winning effort. Instead, Tomko would have had to match Pete Harnisch's six-hit shutout brilliance of Friday night for the Reds to prevail.

        And as McKeon said, “It's tough to sit in the dugout and hope somebody can pitch nine innings every game.

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