Saturday, August 07, 1999

REDS 9, BREWERS 2

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Vaughn HR ignites offense

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Greg Vaughn fouls off a pitch. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        MILWAUKEE — Greg Vaughn returned to his old slugging ground with a bang Friday night.

        Vaughn's two-run home run in the fifth inning jump-started the Reds and propelled them to a 9-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at County Stadium.

        The game turned into a blowout, but only after Vaughn turned it around. Of the 15 hits the Reds had, Vaughn's homer was by far the biggest.

        “That was a big pick-me-up,” Pokey Reese said. “Vaughnie made something happen. Then we got on a little roll.”

        Vaughn should feel comfortable in Milwaukee. He started his big-league career and played eight seasons here. Friday's home run was his 71st at County Stadium.

        The homer ended a string of 32 at-bats and 48 plate appearances without a home run for Vaughn. It was Vaughn's 26th homer. No Red has hit more than 26 since Barry Larkin had 33 in 1996.

Barry Larkin scores as Reggie Harris misses the tag. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The homer came at a good time for the Reds. Steve Woodard (11-6), the Brewers ace, was rolling toward his eighth straight victory when Vaughn hit his bomb.

        “I was battling myself all night,” Vaughn said. “He kept spinning me breaking balls. I finally got one I could drive.”

        Vaughn's average is .224. But his contribution has been big. He leads the team with 62 RBI.

        “I never worry about his average,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “He takes his walks. He hits big home runs.”

        The victory was the 10th in 13 games for the Reds. It moved them within two games of the Houston Astros in the National League Central. The Astros split a doubleheader with Chicago Friday. The win also kept the Reds within a game of Atlanta in the NL wild-card race. The Braves beat San Francisco Friday.

        The Reds improved their road record to 35-14, the best in baseball. The Brewers fell to 17-32 at home, the worst in baseball.

Ron Villone pitches. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Starter Ron Villone (6-4) pitched well enough to win. Villone went five innings, allowing two runs on four hits. The so-so start was a first for Villone.

        “He didn't have his good command,” McKeon said. “But he battled and kept us in it.”

        The Reds quickly gave Villone a 1-0 lead. Dmitri Young worked a one-out walk in the first. Sean Casey, 7-for-his-last-41 coming in, drilled one into the gap in right-center field. Young scored all the way from first as Casey cruised to a double.

        The Brewers took the lead in the third. Mark Loretta walked. He scored on Jeff Cir illo's line shot in the left-field corner. After a David Nilsson groundout and a walk to Alex Ochoa, Geoff Jenkins singled to score Loretta.

        The 2-1 lead looked pretty big, because the Reds were facing Woodard. Woodard had won seven straight and had allowed two runs or fewer in four of his last six starts. Friday was Woodard's second start against the Reds. He was the winning pitcher in Villone's 10-1 loss June 19 at Cinergy. Woodard limited the Reds to four hits and the one run in that one.

        “He was tough,” Vaughn said.

        Young singled with one out in the fifth. An out later, Vaughn drove a 1-0 pitch into the seats behind left field. The homer was Vaughn's first since July 29 and it broke an 0-for-13 skid for him.

Pokey Reese tags out Alex Ochoa. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds chased Woodard an inning later. Reese, back in the starting lineup for the first time in 10 days, reached with a two-out single. He stole second on a pitch-out with Villone at the plate. The pitch-out made the count 2-0. McKeon then took down Villone for pinch-hitter Hal Morris.

        “That's why I sent Pokey, to steal,” McKeon said.

        Morris ended up walking. Mike Cameron drove in Reese with a single past shortstop. That was it for Woodard.

        The Reds handed a 4-2 lead to a well-rested bullpen. Scott Sullivan pitched the final four innings, retiring all 12 batters he faced, for his second save.

        The long stint didn't bother Sullivan.

        “It's getting exciting around here,” he said. “This is the deepest into the season we've been in the pennant race. That gets the adrenaline going.”

        Eddie Taubensee and Aaron Boone blew open the game with back-to-back home runs in the eighth.

       

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