Monday, September 06, 1999

REDS 9, PHILLIES 7

---

Reds smash record, bash 5 more in win

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Barry Larkin flinches from an inside pitch. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        PHILADELPHIA — Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio helped the New York Yankees set the standard. Then came the likes of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. All Hall of Famers, all names that give true fans goosebumps.

        Joining this select pantheon are the Reds, perhaps more humble in status but no less powerful. Reds such as Jeffrey Hammonds, Greg Vaughn, Dmitri Young and Eddie Taubensee have guaranteed themselves a place in history, at least until the next group of upstarts appears.

        In a sequel to Saturday night's home-run derby, the Reds hit five more homers Sunday to sustain an epic output that overwhelmed the Philadelphia Phillies 9-7. Cincinnati (78-57) still trails first-place Houston by 2¹/₂ games in the National League Central Division and New York by four games in the wild-card race.

Dmitri Young tries to keep his bat and hands dry. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds' 14 homers at Veterans Stadium set a two-game major-league record, surpassing the 13 hit by the 1961 San Francisco Giants (April 29-30) and the 1939 New York Yankees (June 28 in a doubleheader).

        Cincinnati also established NL marks for homers in three consecutive games (15) and four games (17).

        “You may not see that for another 60 years,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “It's pretty difficult to do what we did the last two days.”

        Mixing his metaphors but conveying his meaning, Hammonds said, “The offense is sticking out like a green thumb.”

        To enhance the historical

        perspective, consider that those '61 Giants were led by the likes of Mays (who hit four homers in the April 30 game), Cepeda and McCovey. The '39 Yankees boasted legends DiMaggio and Gehrig, among other stalwarts.

        “We're dealing with some heavy hitters now, huh?” said Hammonds, who homered twice Sunday. “Now we've got the (Barry) Larkin '99 Reds.”

Eddie Taubensee connects for a three-run homer. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        But, Jeffrey, Larkin hasn't hit any of these homers.

        “We're still the Larkin '99 Reds,” Hammonds insisted.

        These Reds need every victory they can muster to keep up with Houston, which apparently has forgotten how to lose. Cincinnati has an excellent opportunity to pile up wins beginning today, when it opens a five-game, four-day series against the last-place Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

        But the Reds know better than to take success for granted. In fact, they had to hang on Sunday, when the Phillies scored five ninth-inning runs off reliever Gabe White before Scott Sullivan notched the final out for his third save.

        “Obviously, no team can stay on the streak we've been on,” said left-hander Denny Neagle (5-5), who allowed two runs in eight innings in his most effective outing of the year. “But I think you definitely can build on this momentum and take it into Chicago. Five games in four days are going to be important, obviously.”

        Besides rewriting the record books, the Reds have reclaimed their offense. Before Saturday, they had lost eight times in an 11-game stretch, hitting a limp .260 in that span.

Denny Neagle throws a pitch. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Consider: Greg Vaughn, who had gone homerless in 58 consecutive at-bats before Sat urday, has hit three-run homers two days in a row.

        “It couldn't have come at a better time,” Hammonds said. “In the last week-and-a-half, we really haven't been swinging the bats the way we could.”

        The Reds admitted they were helped by swirling winds, which blew into Veterans Stadium yet took U-turns and helped carry balls out of the park.

        “We took advantage of the conditions,” said Hammonds.

        He ought to know. The reserve center fielder, who has replaced injured Mike Cameron (left hamstring) in the lineup for eight games, hit three homers in the two weekend games, matching Taubensee's team-high production. While playing for Cameron, he has hit .519 (14-for-27).

        “Better late than never. I'm definitely having a great time out there, knowing I'm coming to the ballpark being able to play,” said Hammonds, who has 15 homers in 216 at-bats.

        McKeon dubbed him, “Babe Ruth Hammonds.”

        The Reds also seemed to have absorbed the message from their Saturday afternoon players-only meeting, which Neagle, Vaughn and Larkin convened.

        Its message was: Have fun, forget we're pennant contenders and play the way we did to reach this point.

        “Sure enough,” said Neagle, “that's what we've been doing the last two games.”

       

---

Reds Stories

Homer barrage a record Home run honor roll Homer burst shows Reds still alive REDS 9, PHILLIES 7 Box, runs REDS NOTEBOOK Scouting report: Reds at Cubs Sammy taking, hitting knocks Astros 6, Expos 2

Bengals young, inexperienced
Francis gets message: Too old
BENGALS NOTEBOOK

Reds page