Saturday, August 21, 1999

EXPOS 5, REDS 3

---

Relievers blow 18th save

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Denny Neagle makes a pitch. (Michael E. Keating photos) | ZOOM |

SET AS WALLPAPER: Click here for bigger image, then right click to Set As Wallpaper

        Friday night's game was the kind the Reds must win. The Montreal Expos came to town with the worst record in the National League and were starting Jeremy Powell, who came in 0-7 on the road.

        In a pennant race, you've got to seize that type of opportunity for a victory.

        The Reds didn't, losing to the Expos 5-3 before a crowd of 24,252 at Cinergy Field.

        “We were talking about that before,” Sean Casey said. “We've got to win these games. They don't have any superstars, except (Vladimir) Guerrero. But they have a lot of guys who play hard and scrap. They go at you the whole game, so can't take them lightly.”

        Starter Denny Neagle left with a 3-2 lead, but the bullpen, which has blown 18 saves this year, could not hold it.

        Scott Sullivan (3-3) took the loss. Sullivan failed to retire either of two batters he faced, making way for the winning rally by Montreal in the seventh inning.

        The loss was the second in three games for the Reds, who started this 10-game homestand by winning 4-of-5.

        “We've got to pick it up tomorrow,” Casey said. “If we play our game, we should win.”

Greg Vaughn throws his helmet after one of his two strikeouts. | ZOOM |

        Neagle gave up a run in the first, but got out of trouble by leaving two runners in scoring position.

        The Reds tied in their half of first by playing little ball. Mike Cameron led off with a walk. He moved to second on Dmitri Young's groundout and to third on a pass ball by Widger.

        Casey got Cameron home with flyball to deep center.

        The Reds took the lead in the second, but they could have blown

        the game open.

        Aaron Boone hit his seventh home run of a year, a high shot to left-center on a 0-2 count.

        The Reds loaded the bases, but Young flied to shallow left to end the inning.

        “We had our opportunities,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “But we couldn't finish them off early.”

Barry Larkin applies the tag to a sliding Vladamir Guerrero. | ZOOM |

        Young made up for flyout in the fifth. He hammered a 1-2 pitch from Powell. The ball made over the wall in left-center in the blink on an eye. It was Young's eighth homer of the year, and it made 3-1 Reds.

        Guerrero, who has a club-record 25-game hitting streak, got the run back in the sixth with his 29th homer of the year.

        Since returning from the disabled list, seven of nine earned runs Neagle has allowed have come on home runs.

        Shane Andrews followed the home run with a double. But Neagle got out of the jam to leave a runner in scoring position for scoring position for the fifth time.

        That was it for Neagle. He went six innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out three.

        “I felt good about the way I battled,” Neagle said. “I didn't have my best stuff.”

        Sullivan, who let Neagle's last start get away from the Reds, came on to pitch the seventh.

Stan Belinda puts his hand to his face after fiving up a home run. | ZOOM |

        He walked Rondell White on four pitches. White went to second on Sullivan's wild pick-off throw. Pinch-hitter Wilton Guerrero followed with a single to left to make it first and third with no outs.

        That was it for Sullivan.

        “I feel good,” Sullivan said. “But the results are bad. The question at end of night is, "Did you get the job done, yes or no?' Tonight, I did not.”

        Danny Graves came in. He got Barrett to ground out, but White scored to tie it a 3-3.

        Graves got another groundball. But this one, from Andrews, bounced through into a left for a single, scoring Wilton Guerrero, to give the Expos a 4-3 lead.

        “These guys aren't pushovers,” McKeon said. “When they get good pitching, they're tough.”

       

---

Reds Stories

EXPOS 5, REDS 3 GM trying to walk high waiver wire Box, runs REDS NOTEBOOK Astros 6, Marlins 4, 16 innings

LIONS 16, BENGALS 0
Bengals' Moore injures spine
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Steinberg may come to Cincinnati
AP BENGALS
Bengals-Lions Stats
Broken neck ends Moore's career
Mack suspended for first 4 games

Reds page