Game-winning relay matter of practice

Benito Santiago tags Travis Fryman for the final out.
(Jeff Swinger photo)
| ZOOM |

The Reds' ninth-inning defense that preserved their 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday was a clutch performance.

“That's why we take infield practice,” said left fielder Alex Ochoa, who fielded Russell Branyan's RBI double and threw precisely to shortstop Barry Larkin. In turn, Larkin fired a strike to catcher Benito Santiago, who tagged Travis Fryman at home plate and turned the game's potential tying run into the final out.

“We work on that a lot, from spring training on,” Ochoa said. “To do it in a game and to win it right there is exciting.”

Fryman was on first base and Roberto Alomar was on second with two outs when Branyan delivered his big pinch-hit off Danny Graves. Branyan hit the ball down the left-field line and into the corner. Ochoa fielded the ball cleanly, beginning to turn the play in the Reds' favor.

“I've been practicing that corner a lot. It's tricky,” he said. “I got a good rebound off the corner.”

Then it was Larkin's turn.

“The ball was hit hard, so I thought I had some time,” said Larkin, whose throw traveled about 150 feet. “I just tried to give Benny a ball he could handle. I didn't want to short-hop him, and I almost did.”

Santiago dropped to his knees, caught the ball cleanly and tagged out Fryman with feet to spare.

“It was where I wanted. Perfect,” Santiago said.

The inning turned on two timely moves by Reds manager Jack McKeon. He switched Ochoa, who has the outfield's strongest arm, from right field to left. McKeon also inserted utility man Juan Castro, a brilliant fielder, at third base.

Castro made a deft short-hop pickup of pinch-hitter Enrique Wilson's leadoff grounder that turned into a quick out.

“That saved the ballgame,” McKeon said. “Well, I shouldn't say "saved,' but that contributed to our being able to make the play at the end. If that leadoff guy gets on, it's a different game.”

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