Saturday, June 19, 1999

REDS 7, BREWERS 1

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Avery relocates strike zone

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Steve Avery gave up 1 run, 3 hits in 7 innings. (Michael Snyder photos) | ZOOM |

        Steve Avery recaptured the durability and deception that sustained him early in the season, working seven innings and saving his spot in the starting rotation as the Reds defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 Friday.

        He received ample offensive support from former Brewer Greg Vaughn, who drove in three runs between a red-seat solo homer in the second inning and a two-run single in Cincinnati's five-run seventh. That outburst assured the Reds (34-29) of winning twice in a row at home for only the third time this season.

        Avery recorded his longest outing since April 30, when he pitched at least seven innings for the fifth and final time in a row. He allowed the Brewers only three hits, including Ron Belliard's first-inning home run, while striking out six.

Greg Vaughn is congratulated by Ron Oester after his red-seat HR. | ZOOM |

        The left-hander also issued three walks, which pleased the Reds as much as any other figure on his pitching line. Avery walked 15 batters while accumulating only 10 1/3 innings in his last four starts. This span featured three losses in which he failed to survive the third inning.

        Avery's lack of control led directly to the 13.94 ERA he recorded in this stretch, endangering his starting status. Throwing 62 strikes among his 105 pitches helped him rebound.

        Avery's struggles began May 11 against these same Brewers, when he developed a blister on his left middle finger that forced him to leave the game after five innings. He missed a start to let his finger heal. Afterward his arm strength was sapped.

Aaron Boone is tagged in a rundown by Mark Loretta. | ZOOM |

        Avery insists he always has been a streaky pitcher during his 10 major-league seasons.

        “I think people lose patience faster when you do that, because they see that something's not right,” he said. “When you mix in good, bad, good, bad, it doesn't seem quite as bad. I just hope everyone's patient.”

        Asked if he thought his troubles caused the Reds to begin losing patience with him, Avery said: “I felt like everyone was. I felt like you (reporters) were losing patience. I lose patience; everyone does.”

        Avery said he began to regain his effectiveness in his most recent start, when he allowed four runs in 2ö innings Sunday against Cleveland. His fastball reached 82-83 mph that day, up from 79-81 in his disastrous June 7 start at Minnesota (seven runs in one-plus innings).

Mike Cameron tosses his bat after striking out. | ZOOM |

        Against Milwaukee, Avery's fastball hovered between 83-85 mph much of the evening — not blistering speed, but quick enough to keep hitters off-balance when complemented with his other deliveries. The Brewers, whose .280 team batting average ranked second in the National League entering the game, were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position against him.

        “It wasn't that far off (in) my last start,” he said. “I felt like I was coming back the right way, and today was a good step.”

        Broadening the range of his pitches may have been Avery's big step. He said being ahead on the count enabled him to throw more sliders, which he had ig nored lately.

        “I felt like I had a good curveball early in the year and I kind of got away from using it,” he said. “Hopefully that'll knock some sense into me and I'll start using three or four pitches instead of two.”

        Avery also relied less on the change-up, his most devastating pitch earlier in the season, and concentrated on establishing his fastball.

        “I probably threw more fastballs early in the count,” he said. “I actually had an inning (the fifth, he believed) where I didn't throw any change-ups.”

        Vaughn dominated the rest of the heroics for the Reds. He thrilled the crowd of 22,118 by tying the score against Brewers starter Rafael Roque (1-6) in the second inning with his second red-seat (upper-deck) shot in a week. The left fielder accomplished the same feat last Saturday against Cleveland's Charles Nagy.

        But Vaughn's single in the seventh might have carried more impact. It followed reliever Al Reyes' intentional walk to Sean Casey that loaded the bases with two outs and the Reds leading 4-1. Vaughn fell behind 0-2 before singling up the middle on a 2-2 pitch.

        “From playing over there, they know I play with a lot of emotion and adrenaline,” Vaughn said. “They were probably hoping I was "amped up' (so they could) use that against me — throw me something soft or get me to fish, have me so hyped up that I would try too hard.”

       

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