Wednesday, May 05, 1999

REDS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4

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Team leaders back up talk

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Barry Larkin is greeted by third-base coach Ron Oester after his 2-run HR. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds' leaders, Barry Larkin and Greg Vaughn, were just that Tuesday night, leading the Reds to a 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Cinergy Field.

        The win was Reds manager Jack McKeon's 600th and the Reds' second straight to open the 11-game homestand.

        But Vaughn and Larkin made it happen. They scored five of the Reds' six runs. They reached base each of their first three times up. They pulled off a double steal. And they combined in the sixth to produce the two runs that won it — Vaughn walked and Larkin followed with his fifth home run.

        Vaughn called a team meeting after the Reds were swept in the three-game series in Atlanta. But talk doesn't mean much when you don't produce, and Larkin (.196) and Vaughn (.195) hadn't this year.

        “It's been a struggle,” Larkin said. “Vaughnie's been right there with me. The two guys you expect to hit, and we haven't done it. Hopefully, that's going to change.”

        Larkin said Vaughn's contributions to the team have been overlooked because Vaughn's batting average has remained around .200.

        “He gave us that speech in Atlanta,” he said. “He made the double steal tonight. He's played a great left field. He's always talking to the younger guys. He's done everything he can. He's the first one here, the last to leave. He's overlooked.”

        Said Vaughn: “That's just the way I am. Winning's important to me. I don't feel like I'm doing anything I haven't done in the past. ... That's the way I play.”

        Larkin and Vaughn did get some help. Brian Johnson had a two-run double, and Pokey Reese had a two-out, two-RBI single.

        And the relief corps had another great night. Four relievers — Dennys Reyes, Scott Sullivan, Gabe White and Danny Graves — allowed only one hit over the last 4+ innings to extend the bullpen's streak of scoreless innings to 12+. Reyes (1-0) got the win. Graves pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

        Starting pitching was not up to the relief standard. Jason Bere failed to get out of the sixth inning for the fifth time in six starts. Bere lasted 4+ innings, allowing eight hits and four runs.

        The Reds got a pair of runs in the second inning. Vaughn reached on shortstop Andy Fox's error. (Vaughn argued it was a hit). He was erased when Larkin grounded into a fielder's choice. But Aaron Boone followed with a single. Brian Johnson got Larkin and Boone home with a double into the right-field corner.

        But Bere pitched himself in to trouble in the third, giving up four runs, three on Matt Williams' homer. It was Williams' 11th home run of the year, tops in the NL, and his 19th at Riverfront/Cinergy.

        The Reds tied it up in the fourth. Vaughn and Larkin reached on back-to-back singles, but it looked like they might get stranded when Boone struck out. Johnson struck out also, but Vaughn and Larkin pulled off a double steal during his at-bat.

        “That was the key,” McKeon said.

        “I wanted the stolen base so we wouldn't need two hits to score to two runs,” Vaughn said.

        Reese got the two runs with the one hit, a sharp single into center.

        The Reds went ahead again in the sixth. Vaughn walked. Larkin then ripped a 1-2 pitch for a two-run homer to left to make it 6-4. Despite Larkin's struggles at the plate, his home run numbers are up over last year. Last year he didn't hit his fifth homer until June 12.

        Larkin didn't declare an end to his troubles at the plate.

        “I wish I could,” he said. “But it's been a struggle. I got the same pitch I hit out (in the sixth) in the eighth, and I popped it up to right.”

        So Larkin planned to spend a little time in the cage before heading home.

        The Reds are 11-14 and very much in the National League Central race.

        “Thank goodness, it's a marathon and not a sprint,” Larkin said.

       

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