Sunday, April 25, 1999

ASTROS 4, REDS 3

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Very good Avery outing goes to waste

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Steve Avery gave up one unearned run in seven innings. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Danny Graves put it best: “One day you're on cloud nine; the next day, you're eating dirt.”

        The Reds did take a heaping helping of mud in their 4-3 loss to the Houston Astros Saturday before a crowd of 21,651 at Cinergy Field.

        In a season of frustration, this may have been the most frustrating loss of all.

        Why?

        Because the Reds wasted a great performance by starting pitcher Steve Avery (7 innings pitched, four hits, one unearned run).

        Because they blew a 3-1 lead after failing to add to it twice when they put put two runners on with no outs. Because they botched two sacrifice bunts.

        “We had a lot of opportunities,” manager Jack McKeon said. “We couldn't cash in ... we didn't execute when we had to.”

        The Reds fell to 6-10 and still haven't won two straight games at home this year.

Barry Larkin gave the Reds a 3-0 lead with a 3-run HR. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        This was the third loss the Reds suffered after taking a lead to the seventh inning.

        Avery took them that far Saturday. The left-handed reclamation project, whom the Reds signed as a free agent, lowered his ERA to 1.88. He's pitched at least seven innings in all four of his starts.

        “This was the best I've felt all year,” Avery said.

        He retired the first six batters he faced and did not allow a hit until there was one out in the fourth.

        By that time, the Reds had a 3-0 lead, thanks to Barry Larkin's three-run homer in the third. It was Larkin's fourth homer of the year, but only his third hit in his last 32 at-bats.

        The Reds bats went quiet after the third: They had only two more hits, but the way Avery was pitching it didn't seem to matter.

        The Astros got an unearned run in the sixth. Mike Cameron let Richard Hidalgo's fly ball go off his glove for a three-base error. Carl Everett followed with a single to make it 3-1.

Chris Stynes knocks the ball loose from Ken Caminiti. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds had a chance to add to the lead in the seventh. Chris Stynes walked. Pokey Reese singled, and Stynes ended up at third when Ken Caminiti dropped Derek Bell's throw.

        Avery was due up next.

        “He probably could have gone another inning,” McKeon said. “But we wanted to add to the lead.”

        Avery concurred: “You've got to try to add to the lead. It didn't work this time, but most of the time it will.”

        It didn't work out because pinch-hitter Hal Morris struck out. Stynes was eliminated when he tried to score on a throw to second on a double steal attempt.

        Cameron walked, but he and Reese were stranded when Larkin flied to right.

        The Astros took the lead in the eighth. Craig Biggio started the inning by beating out an infield single.

        “That was the key,” Graves said. “He sparked them.”

        Bell followed with a solid single on a 3-2 pitch. Jeff Bagwell then worked a walk after falling behind 1-2.

Greg Vaughn watches a pop-up go into the stands. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        The bases were loaded. Graves (1-3) had pitched out of four such jams without allowing a run this year.

        Not this time. Caminiti lined a hit in right to score Biggio and Bell. That tied the game at 3.

        Hidalgo's followed with a smash to Stynes at third. Stynes' only play was to second, and Bell went home with the go-ahead run.

        “My time was up,” said Graves, who pitched out of a similar jam to get the save Friday. “I got lucky and got out of it last night. You can't do it every time. They found the holes today.”

        But the Reds would get one more chance.

        Brian Johnson led off the ninth and reached on a strikeout, pass ball. Stynes followed with a bunt that closer Billy Wagner fielded but threw wildly to second.

        First and second. No outs.

        Reese tried to bunt Johnson and Stynes over, but he popped it back to Wagner.

        “Stupid,” Reese said. “I saw the pitch was up and bunted at it anyway. You just got to take the high pitch.”

        Still, a base hit would tie it.

        But Jeffrey Hammonds and Cameron both went down swinging.

        “We've got to start winning these kind of games,” McKeon said. “We get ahead 3-0 and we don't add to it ... First and third, no outs. First and second, no outs. You've got to get something out of that.”

        Failure to add to the lead put Graves in the tough situation. Against a team as good as Astros, a small opening is enough.

       

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