Tuesday, May 18, 1999

REDS 7, ROCKIES 2

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What's this? A three-game winning streak

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Greg Vaughn got the Reds off to a good start with a two-run HR in the first. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        DENVER — Pete Harnisch, who lives near his place of business, occasionally rides a bicycle to Cinergy Field. On the road, the Reds ought to consider ordering a limousine for him.

        Mocking Coors Field's reputation for inflating pitchers' earned-run averages while shrinking their self-confidence, Harnisch maintained his excellence away from home by pitching a six-hitter through 8ô innings as the Reds tamed the Colorado Rockies, 7-2.

        Harnisch (3-4) lowered his road ERA to a glittering 2.43 in four starts while helping the Reds (17-18) lengthen their winning streak to a season-high three games. They won two in a row on four previous occasions before fizzling.

        “It's nice,” Harnisch said. “Now we have a chance of getting to .500. We haven't had that in a while.”

        History, both recent and otherwise, didn't favor Harnisch.

Pete Harnisch said he's finding his rhythm again. | ZOOM |

        A fly-ball pitcher who had allowed nine home runs in 36 innings after firing a six-hit shutout at St. Louis in his season debut, Harnisch was attempting to exorcise his longball demons in a park where 457 homers were struck in 1997-98, the most in the major leagues.

        Harnisch was 3-1 in six Coors Field starts, but his most recent appearance was an ugly loss last July 23, when he allowed six runs and 11 hits in six innings.

        Moreover, Harnisch was coming off his worst outing of the season, surrendering five runs and 10 hits in an 8-7 loss to Milwaukee last Wednesday.

        Though the Rockies ranked only ninth in the National League in home runs, they remained a formidable opponent. Their starting lineup featured several players who had thrived against Harnisch, including Larry Walker (.424, three homers), ex-Red Lenny Harris (.417) and Vinny Castilla (.393).

Larry Walker beats Eddie Taubensee's tag to score on an inside-the-park HR. | ZOOM |

        Harnisch emerged virtually unscathed. Center fielder Mike Cameron lost Dante Bichette's fourth-inning fly ball in the cloudless twilight sky for a triple, leading to Colorado's first run. Walker opened the ninth with a drive that caromed crazily off the top of the right-field wall, resulting in the third inside-the-park homer since Coors Field opened in 1995.

        After Vinny Castilla smoked a one-out double, Harnisch was relieved by Dennys Reyes, who fanned Todd Helton and Neifi Perez to seal the decision.

        “Pete probably could have finished the game, but there was no sense in forcing it,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said.

        Harnisch attributed his resurgence to eliminating some “jerky” movements in his pitching motion.

Pokey Reese slides into second with a second-inning double. | ZOOM |

        “I was out of my good rhythm a little bit,” he said. “I think I'm on my way back again.”

        So is the Reds' pitching. In the last three games, their starters have recorded a 1.54 ERA (four runs in 23 innings).

        “When they saw we had 12 pitchers here, they figured they better get it in gear,” said McKeon, at least partly in jest.

        Greg Vaughn's two-run homer in the first inning and Sean Casey's one-out homer in the fifth helped the Reds grab a 5-1 lead off Rockies starter Bobby Jones (1-2).

        “That kind of set the tone for the game,” Casey said of Vaughn's blast, his ninth of the year.

Taubensee scores in the fourth as Rockies catcher Henry Blanco drops the ball. | ZOOM |

        The Rockies' sloppiness helped Cincinnati score twice more in the fourth. Mark Lewis walked and Eddie Taubensee singled with one out. After Pokey Reese flied out to right field, Harnisch grounded a full-count pitch to third baseman Castilla. It was a routine play, but Castilla overthrew first baseman Helton. Lewis scored easily. Helton's one-hop throw to home plate beat Taubensee, but catcher Henry Blanco couldn't hold onto the ball.

        Casey's home run ended a season-high streak of six consecutive plate appearances in which he hadn't reached base safely. Previously, he hadn't gone more than four plate appearances without getting aboard.

       

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