Saturday, April 17, 1999

REDS NOTEBOOK

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Defense keyed clutch offense

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Brian Johnson awaits throw from Mike Cameron before tagging out Warren Morris in the ninth. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        There might not have been a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night if not for some nifty defense by the Reds in the top of ninth.

        It looked like the Pittsburgh Pirates were going to add to their one-run lead when Warren Morris led off the ninth with a triple on a ball Jeffery Hammonds appeared to lose.

        It looked even more like that when Gabe White hit the next batter, Brian Giles, with a pitch.

        The Reds brought in Danny Graves to pitch and Chris Stynes to play second in a double switch.

        Stynes, playing in to prevent a run from scoring, smothered a sharp grounder by Kevin Young.

        After Brant Brown was intentionally walked, Ed Sprague then lifted a fly ball to short center field.

        “I said to myself, "If (Morris) goes, he's out,'” Graves said.

        Morris did and was.

        Mike Cameron timed the ball perfectly and threw a strike to catcher Brian Johnson, who had the plate blocked. An 8-2 double play, and the Reds go to the bottom of the ninth down 5-4. They won 6-5 on Hal Morris' two-run double.

        “Unbelievable play,” Graves said. “Mike Cameron is one of the best center fielders I've seen. He goes hard after every ball.”

        Said Reds manager Jack McKeon: “That was the key to the game right there.”

Neagle OK with delay
        Denny Neagle would push Denny Neagle's start back too, if he were running the Reds.

        Because of Thursday's rainout, the Reds moved Neagle's first start, which was scheduled Sunday, back until Wednesday.

        “I think if anything I'm the guy whose schedule should be altered,” Neagle said. “Once you get into a routine, you don't want to be thrown off.”

        Neagle hasn't gotten into a routine because he's been on the disabled list since spring training with weakness in his left (throwing) shoulder.

        He made two rehab starts in Indianapolis, threw Friday, and will throw again Sunday to stay sharp.

        “I feel great,” he said. “The last start was good, except for the end.”

        Neagle gave up a home run to the last batter. That gave him a line of four runs on four hits in 5ö innings.

        “The good thing was I was throwing as hard in the sixth as I was at the start,” he said, “and I got up around 100 pitches.”

Slow Eddie
        Eddie Taubensee hopes things are reversed this year, i.e., his slow start is followed by a fast finish. Last year, his fast start was followed by a slow finish.

        Taubensee is hitting just .130 after going 0-for-2 Friday night. Last year he hit .354 in April and .363 in May but faded late.

        “Hopefully, this year I won't have the slow second half,” he said.

        Taubensee said he isn't swinging the bat that badly.

        “My swing's OK,” he said. “I'm seeing the ball pretty well. I'm just not finding any holes.”

Act of charity
        The Reds donated 5,000 tickets to the American Red Cross for volunteers who helped in the aftermath of last week's tornado. The tickets are good for July 16 or 17 when the Reds play the Colorado Rockies.

Belinda update
        Reliever Stan Belinda, on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, threw Friday before the game.

        “It went good — better,” he said.

        Belinda did not put a timetable on when he will return. He'll throw again Sunday.

Up next
        The Reds send RHP Jason Bere (1-0, 4.76 ERA) against LHP Chris Peters (0-0, 3.86) today at 1:15 p.m.

       

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