Saturday, September 11, 1999
REDS 4, MARLINS 2
Larkin's homer first since June; Neagle wins 6th
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[graves]](http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/09/091199graves_150x97.jpg)
Danny Graves reacts after being hit by a line drive as Sean Casey looks on.
(AP photo)
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Something had been missing since the Reds began their home run binge last Saturday.
A certain spark had been absent since June 21, to be exact.
Those voids were filled in Friday night's first inning when Barry Larkin homered, ending a 72-game power outage — the longest of his 13-year career.
Though it was just one run and eight innings remained, the Reds couldn't help but win after that. They did, outlasting the Florida Marlins at Cinergy Field 4-2.
“We're glad he's on the board for the second half,” Reds catcher Eddie Taubensee said of Larkin.
The Reds' fourth victory in a row failed to advance them in the National League postseason derby. Cincinnati (83-58) still trails first-place Houston by three games in the Central Division and New York by 31/2 in the wild-card race.
Denny Neagle (6-5) won his third consecutive start, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings. Though Florida
outhit Cincinnati, 7-5, Neagle received support from Taubensee, who upped his RBI total to a career-high 73 with a two-run homer in the fifth inning and a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.
![[larkin]](http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/09/091199larkin_150x112.jpg)
Barry Larkin is congratulated by Sean Casey after hitting a solo home run.
(AP photo)
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Danny Graves inherited a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth inning and escaped unscathed en route to his 22nd save and third in three days. But Graves suffered a bruised left quadriceps after he caught the final out, Alex Gonzalez's line drive. The ball struck Graves just above his left knee, caromed off his right knee and popped up, enabling him to snare it before he keeled over.
“It wasn't that painful,” Graves said.
Though X-rays were negative, common sense dictated that Graves will be sidelined for at least a brief period. “I know darned well Danny is going to be out for two to three days,” Cincinnati manager Jack McKeon said.
Recently, the Reds' slugging has stolen the show. They had 23 homers in their seven previous games, having set or tied several National and major league records. Their nine homers last Saturday at Philadelphia started the fun.
Strangely absent from this power party was Larkin, who hit a career-high 33 homers as recently as 1996.
But Larkin entered Friday batting .197 (13-for-66) in his last 16 games, extending the home run drought that began after he went deep June 21.
Two hundred sixty at-bats later, Larkin's skid ended when he clobbered a 3-1 fastball from Dennis Springer (5-14) into the left-field green seats.
“I don't think it was a big deal,” Larkin said. “But I've hit home runs consistently throughout my career, 10 or above, and everybody hit all these home runs this year.”
Larkin's 10th homer gave the Reds nine players with at least that many. The Reds last achieved this in 1965, when Frank Robinson (33), Deron Johnson (32), Vada Pinson (22), Tommy Harper (18), Johnny Edwards (17), Gordy Coleman (14), Tony Perez (12) and Pete Rose and Leo Cardenas (11 each) made the honor roll.
Larkin's longball would have been a footnote without Graves.
Trailing 4-2, the Marlins threatened in the eighth when Gonzalez singled and Cliff Floyd doubled off reliever Scott Sullivan. Kevin Millar struck out, but Bruce Aven walked to fill the bases.
On came Graves. He fanned Preston Wilson — who had homered off Neagle one inning earlier — and coaxed a fielder's choice grounder from Mike Lowell, marking the eighth time in 10 bases-loaded situations that he emerged without allowing a run.
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![[graves]](http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/09/091199graves_500x322.jpg)
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