Thursday, August 12, 1999

PIRATES 5, REDS 4

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Williamson blows save with walks

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Al Martin beats Eddie Taubensee's tag to score the winning run. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        PITTSBURGH — Despite their 5-4 loss Wednesday night to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Reds conceivably could take solace in the status quo.

        The Reds finished 4-2 on this trip while, winning series here and in Milwaukee. After trimming 1¹/₂ games from first-place Houston's National League Central Division lead during the trip, the Reds can revel in a 10-game homestand following today's scheduled off day.

        But no games are disposable for Cincinnati, not with the pursuit of a postseason berth. A victory, which appeared imminent when Dmitri Young's pinch-hit RBI double gave the Reds a 4-3 lead in the ninth, would have pushed the Reds past Houston into first place by .003 percentage points.

        Cincinnati's clubhouse was hushed instead of hearty after Brian Giles spanked a two-run double off reliever Scott Williamson with one out in the Pirates' ninth, keeping the Reds (66-46) a game behind Houston. The Reds also began the evening trailing New York by a half-game in the wild-card race.

Chris Stynes bobbles a grounder for a fourth-inning error. | ZOOM |

        “When you look back, we could have won six in a row,” said Reds manager Jack McKeon, referring to the pair of last-at-bat defeats his club absorbed.

        Fifty regular-season games remain for the Reds. Should they play .500 ball hereafter, they'll finish 91-71, which would have been good enough to secure the wild-card berth in two of the last three seasons.

        But with Atlanta, New York, Houston and the Reds hovering at or near .600 winning percentages, McKeon doubted that a victory total in the low 90s will be a safe goal for playoff aspirants.

        “The way those clubs are playing, I don't think 91 is going to do it,” McKeon said. “I think 95 will get you in something. I thought at one time 93 would.”

Ron Villone reacts after allowing a fourth-inning run. | ZOOM |

        Nothing can be assumed. Not even Williamson's effectiveness, though the rookie right-hander had retired 15 of his last 18 hitters when he attempted to preserve Cincinnati's lead.

        Williamson (10-5), who recovered from shaky control to strike out four batters in two innings while posting his 16th save on Monday night, couldn't find his equilibrium this time.

        Abraham Nunez walked to open the ninth and advanced to second base on Adrian Brown's sacrifice bunt. Pinch hitter Al Martin walked on four pitches.

        “He walked two guys in an inning in a one-run ball game,” pitching coach Don Gullett said of Williamson. “You beat yourself when you do that, and he knows it.”

Stynes steals second in the seventh inning. | ZOOM |

        Up came Giles, who drove a 1-1 pitch out of right fielder Michael Tucker's reach. Nunez scored easily before Martin slid home, presenting a bargain to the half-price-night crowd of 23,728 at Three Rivers Stadium.

        “You know you've got your work cut out for you against Williamson,” Giles said. “He's as good as any closer in the league. He's got nasty stuff, dude.”

        Not this time.

        “I didn't have a slider, fastball, anything,” said Williamson, who blew his sixth save opportunity in 22 chances. “You can't go out there against a team like that with nothing. When you don't have any pitch, you can't make them up.”

        Of Giles' hit, Williamson said: “My grandma probably could have hit that pitch. It just floated right in there.”

        Asked if he threw a slider, Williamson delivered a similar answer: “You couldn't tell. I probably could have hit that one.”

        McKeon didn't blame Williamson: “It happens once in a while. Willie has been great all year.”

        Young continued his recent greatness after a pair of Pittsburgh errors helped the Reds' rally in the ninth.

        Aaron Boone led off with a grounder to shortstop Nunez, whose ever-so-brief bobble caused his throw to arrive an eyelash late. One out later, Boone advanced to second as Pittsburgh reliever Mike Williams (2-2) short-hopped a pickoff throw past first base.

        Young, who McKeon removed from the lineup to give Tucker some at-bats, then lined his hit on a hop off the right-field wall. It improved Young's pinch-hitting average to .375 (9-for-24), a team best.

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