Wednesday, May 05, 1999
Bullpen charging after competition
Relievers solid after bad start
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Gabe White and Danny Graves would rather keep the bullpen's scoreless streak a secret.
“Last time, when everyone wrote about it, it jinxed us,” Graves said.
But the bullpen has been so good lately it's hard to ignore. Dennys Reyes and Scott Sullivan combined with White and Graves to pitch 4ö innings of one-hit ball Tuesday to help the Reds to a 6-4 victory. This came the night after Reyes, Sullivan and Scott Williamson pitched 3ö innings in relief to help secure a 4-3 win.
Relievers have the win in six of the Reds' last eight victories.
Reyes (1-0) got the victory Tuesday.
“Another great job by the bullpen,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “It was nice to see Gabe get going again, and Reyes did a nice job. He always seems to walk someone, then get out of it.”
The bullpen was responsible for the disaster that was the season-opening three-game sweep by the San Francisco Giants. Since then, it's been respectable and getting better.
The five relievers have combined for a 3.11 ERA. The Reds' relievers were second in the National League in ERA going into Tuesday's game.
“And we've only got five guys,” White said. “Most teams have six. Three of us are out there every night. We've got a tight-knit bullpen. We pick each other up. No one wants to be the one guy not doing the job.”
White and Sullivan are the most experienced of the five, and this is only their third year in the big leagues.
Tuesday night was another long night for the bullpen because Jason Bere went only 4ô innings.
McKeon said Bere will remain in the rotation.
“We've only got five (starters),” McKeon said. “But he can't keep pitching behind like he's been. He's got to step it up. I think he'd tell you that himself. He's better than that.”
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