Tuesday, August 24, 1999

BRAVES 6, REDS 2

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Sloppy play helps Atlanta cruise to win

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Michael Tucker slides into home as Greg Myers jumps to catch the ball. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        ATLANTA — Before the top of the fifth inning Monday night, Atlanta outfielders Gerald Williams and Andruw Jones sprinted side-by-side onto the grass, one simulating a receiver and the other a defender. They playfully leaped for a warmup ball, which masqueraded as a forward pass.

        While the Braves mimicked football, the Reds struggled with the sport they were supposed to master.

        Having established themselves as postseason contenders through 122 games, the Reds suddenly played as if they weren't ready for the challenge of a pennant race, falling 6-2 to the lordly Braves at Turner Field.

        The Reds (73-50) began the game trailing first-place Houston by a half-game in the National League Central. They are 2¹/₂ games behind the New York Mets in the pursuit for the wild-card postseason berth after the Mets beat Houston 3-2 Monday.

        The difference in performance might have reflected a difference in approach. While many Reds billed this series as crucial, it was anything but that to the Braves, winners of seven NL East titles, four

Brett Tomko talks with Eddie Taubensee during the game. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        league pennants and a World Series since 1991.

        “I don't think it's a big series,” said Atlanta second baseman Bret Boone, the former Red. “I don't think it's any bigger than us playing San Diego the last three games. They were talking it up in New York when he played the Mets a month ago. That wasn't a big series. It's a big series when it's the last weekend of the year and you're down a game.”

        Cincinnati, which suffered a three-game sweep here from April 30-May 2 and has lost seven consecutive series in Atlanta, again looked outclassed before a crowd announced at 31,016.

        Chipper Jones helped Atlanta roar to a 4-1 lead through three innings, launching a two-run homer in the first inning before adding an RBI double and scoring in the third.

        Reds starter Brett Tomko (4-7), who pitched adequately at times, staggered through a 28-pitch first inning. Shortstop Barry Larkin committed a shocking two-base throwing error to ignite Atlanta's rally in the third.

        The Braves ravaged catcher Eddie Taubensee by stealing a season-high seven bases, one short of the franchise record.

        Atlanta right-hander Kevin Millwood (14-7) remained above it all, yielding three hits in seven innings.

Barry Larkin throws to first after forcing out Andruw Jones. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Millwood controlled the Reds without dominating them. He retired 15 of 16 batters, including 10 in a row, between Greg Vaughn's first-inning RBI double and Michael Tucker's sixth-inning homer. He survived two warning-track fly balls and two vicious line-drive infield outs before being backed by shutout relief from Mike Remlinger, another ex-Red, and Russ Springer.

        The evening began in prom ising fashion for Cincinnati. Millwood went to three-ball counts on the first three hitters, walking Tucker on a full-count pitch and yielding Vaughn's run-scoring double. The hit ended Vaughn's 0-for-18 skid. After Sean Casey grounded out, Andruw Jones denied Cincinnati another run with a nice running catch of Larkin's drive to left-center field.

        The lead evaporated quickly. Boone singled with one out in Atlanta's half of the first before Chipper Jones drove Tomko's 3-1 pitch into the left-field seats for his 33rd homer.

        Shoddy defense plagued Cincinnati in the third inning, when Atlanta added a pair of runs.

        Boone tapped a simple grounder to Larkin, whose high throw flew past first baseman Casey. Chipper Jones, who began the game tied for second in the NL with 37 doubles, collected No. 38 by rapping the next pitch into right field.

        Tucker notched his ninth homer of the season, an opposite-field drive to left with one out in the sixth inning.

        Atlanta drove Tomko from the mound in the seventh while scoring its final pair of runs.

        Bret Boone doubled and stole third base as Tomko threw ball four to Chipper Jones. Brian Jordan's sacrifice fly scored Boone.

        Gabe White relieved Tomko and struck out pinch hitter Brian Hunter. But after righty reliever Stan Belinda replaced White to face right-handed hitter Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones stole second and third base. That became crucial when Belinda's low 2-1 pitch skipped away from Taubensee, who looked to his right for the ball. However, the ball had trickled to the left of home plate, enabling an aggressive Jones to score.

       

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