Friday, August 20, 1999

REDS 1, PIRATES 0

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Harnisch's 1-hitter puts team back in first

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Pete Harnisch jokes with umpire Mark Hirschbeck between innings. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Pete Harnisch, the Reds' Mr.Inspirational, was awe-inspiring Thursday night.

        Harnisch went to the mound knowing that a win would put the Reds back in first place and proceeded to throw his best game of the year to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 before 17,904 at Cinergy Field.

        Sean Casey's home run to right field accounted for the game's only run.

        But Harnisch was the story of the night. He pitched eight innings, allowing only one hit, a groundball single, and two walks. He struck out a career-high 12.

        “What a guy,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “He's a battler. You can't say enough about him. He's an inspiration. He's not 100 percent physically. But what a heart.”

Fans cheer Sean Casey after his seventh-inning HR. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

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        The big heart makes up for the sore shoulder Harnisch has been pitching with for 2¹/₂ months. The shoulder will require offseason surgery.

        “He doesn't care about his shoulder,” Casey said. “He doesn't talk about his shoulder. He's a leader. He goes out and gets through it for the team.”

        The Houston Astros lost to Milwaukee 6-5 Thursday afternoon, so the win put the Reds back into first place in the National League Central by percentage points.

        The victory gave the series to the Reds 3-1. That means they have won eight straight series. The Reds have not lost two straight games since July 22 and 23.

        They are 5-2 on this homestand and have won 18 of their last 25.

        “That's huge,” Casey said. “At this time of year, every game's big. We knew Houston had lost, so you want to win when a guy pitches as good as Pete did.”

        Harnisch, who improved to 13-6 and lowered his ERA to 3.24, won his eighth straight decision. He hasn't lost since Cleveland beat him 4-3 June 12 at Cinergy. Harnisch beat Milwaukee 2-0 in his next start, beginning his career-high winning streak.

Harnisch won his eighth straight decision. (Steve Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Harnisch allowed only two hard-hit balls all night. Brian Giles sent Dmitri Young to the wall in right field with a high fly ball in the first inning.

        “I thought it was a home run,” Harnisch said.

        Harnisch struck out the side in the second and got the Pirates on three routine groundballs in the third.

        “It was the first time all year I felt I had command of my breaking ball,” he said.

        Harnisch struck out the first two batters in the fourth. Giles then walked to become the first Pirate to reach base.

        The next batter, Ed Sprague, hit a sizzling line drive that first baseman Casey picked off.

Dmitri Young steals second. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        When Harnisch worked an uneventful fifth, the crowd was buzzing as the Reds left the field.

        The problem was the Reds weren't having much more success against Pittsburgh starter Kris Benson (10-10). A lot of fizzled threats was all they could manage.

        Harnisch matched his season high for strikeouts (eight) by getting Keith Osik as he led off the sixth.

        A Benson flyout and a routine groundball by Al Martin followed, and Harnisch was nine outs from his first career no-hitter. Harnisch twice had pitched one-hitters, most recently for Houston against San Diego Sept.17, 1993.

        “I was aware I hadn't given up any hits,” he said.

        But Harnisch was his normal, loquacious self in the dugout.

        “I was talking to everybody,” he said. “I'd love to be in the ninth with (a no-hitter). That would be a blast. I wouldn't even to talk to anyone.”

        He did not make it past the sixth. Mike Benjamin, who came in hitting .223, led off the seventh and grounded a 3-1 pitch over the mound and into center for a single to end the no-hit bid.

        “I thought I had it,” Harnisch said. “I guess my glove wasn't low enough.”

        Harnisch recovered to get the next three batters in order. It was the third time in four starts that he has gone seven innings.

        He struck out three more in the eighth to tie his career high.

       

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