Thursday, July 29, 1999

DODGERS 9, REDS 1

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Reyes struggles; Neagle may get rushed in

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Dennys Reyes and the scoreboard after Gary Sheffield's 3rd-inning HR. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        LOS ANGELES — Dennys Reyes was characterized as an “emergency starter” by Reds manager Jack McKeon. After Reyes' effort Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, he might not start again until an emergency becomes a crisis.

        Making his first start of the season, Reyes struggled for 2 2/3 innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers drubbed the Reds, 9-1, ending Cincinnati's four-game winning streak.

        Forced to leave the bullpen when Steve Avery went on the disabled list with a strained shoulder, Reyes permitted six runs and five hits while tying a dubious career high with five walks. The left-hander, who had a 2.01 ERA in 41 previous appearances, threw 71 pitches, only 33 for strikes.

        “That's not the Reyes we've seen all year,” McKeon said.

        The Reds' most lopsided loss since June 19 dropped them 3 1/2 games behind Houston in the National League Central Division and two games behind the New York Mets in the wild-card playoff race.

        To prevent those deficits from growing, the Reds (57-42) must replenish their starting rotation adequately. McKeon indicated that Denny Neagle, who has made only one six-inning start in his injury rehabilitation stint at Triple-A Indianapolis, might soon be activated — perhaps as early as Friday's series opener against San Francisco at Cinergy Field.

Michael Tucker lunges but can't grab Adrian Beltre's short fly. | ZOOM |

        That's when Neagle was scheduled to make his next start with Indy. It's also when Cincinnati faces another “emergency starter” situation, since Steve Parris will skip a turn with a strained muscle on the underside of his shoulder.

        “The possibility of bringing in Neagle is a good one, the way we're going,” McKeon said. “We're strapped.”

        The Dodgers scored in each of the first three innings off Reyes, including four in the third when they drove their former teammate from the mound. Their nine runs matched their total from their previous five games.

        Meanwhile, the Reds, who amassed 28 hits in the series' first two games, mustered seven off Dodgers starter Robinson Checo (1-0) and Jamie Arnold, who notched his first career save by pitching four shutout innings.

        “Our comeback magic was off tonight,” McKeon said. “We got a little bit too far behind.”

        Reyes surrendered a double to the first batter, Mark Grudzielanek, who moved to third base on Jose Vizcaino's sacrifice bunt and scored on Gary Sheffield's groundout.

        Reyes' control deserted him in the second, when he walked the bases loaded with nobody out. Angel Pena's sacrifice fly widened Los Angeles' lead to 2-0.

Eric Karros steals third ahead of Aaron Boone's tag. | ZOOM |

        Cincinnati halved the difference in the top of the third on Mike Cameron's one-out single and Dmitri Young's RBI double off Checo, but that paled beside the Dodgers' output in the bottom of the inning.

        After Sheffield blasted his 18th homer, Eric Karros doubled and scored on Devon White's single. Raul Mondesi and Angel Pena walked to fill the bases before Checo notched his first major-league hit, a two-run single to left-center field.

        “The main thing was, I was behind on the count all the time,” said Reyes (2-2). “I just tried too hard and didn't hit my spots.”

        Checo, summoned from Triple-A to replace demoted Carlos Perez in the Dodgers' rotation, lasted five innings in his first major-league start of the year, surrendering three hits while walking four and striking out four.

        McKeon's praise of Checo, who formerly pitched in Japan, was muted.

        “I think if it had been a closer game, it would have been a different story,” McKeon said. “He did all right. I'm not about to put him in the Hall of Fame.”

        Grudzielanek walloped a two-run homer in the fifth off reliever Scott Sullivan to widen the Dodgers' lead to 8-1.

        Reds left-hander B.J. Ryan made his major-league debut, allowing one run and four hits in two innings.

        “The good thing about baseball is,” said Reyes, “you've got tomorrow.”

       

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