Pete Harnisch smiles after completing his shutout. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        HOUSTON — Get a videotape of this one and feast your eyes on it, Reds fans. It may qualify as one of those ESPN Instant Classics, Cincinnati-style.

        Pete Harnisch and Barry Larkin, whose days as Reds appear numbered, formed a brilliant combination Wednesday night in a 4-0 victory over the Houston Astros.

        With the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline looming and Larry Monroe, the Chicago White Sox director of major league scouting, perched behind home plate, Harnisch (3-5) fired his second complete game in a row, limiting the Astros to four hits.

        Harnisch earned the distinction of pitching back-to-back complete games at Denver's Coors Field and here at Enron Field, where hitters thrive.

        “It's just a coincidence,” said Harnisch, the first Red to pitch consecutive complete games since David Wells did so Aug.23 and 28, 1995.

Barry Larkin, completing a double play, homered and tripled. | ZOOM |

        Bound to depart as a free agent or in a trade if he can't coax a contract extension at his price, Larkin homered off Astros starter Chris Holt (4-11) to break a scoreless tie and launch Cincinnati's three-run sixth inning. Larkin then tripled and scored in the seventh inning.

        “Motivation comes in many forms,” said Larkin, whose pregame activities included reading the statement about his contract stalemate issued by Reds chief operating officer John Allen and answering questions about it. “I'm just motivated to play well, regardless of what happens.”

        These Reds (48-46) have won eight of their last 11 games to remain in the wild-card race, five games behind San Francisco as the day began. They'd prefer to stay together, at least through the end of the season.

        “We talk and joke a lot about it — the guys are (annoyed) with me because they think I'm pitching my way out of here — but we feel like there might be some people trying to give up on us a little bit. We don't feel that way,” Harnisch said, poking management verbally. “If we can keep a couple of guys here — every day we lose somebody else — we feel we've got a shot.”

Scouts from the White Sox, Mariners and D'Backs watched Harnisch. | ZOOM |

        If the Reds can trade Denny Neagle, Harnisch is certainly vulnerable.

        Despite owning the major leagues' best record (60-34), the White Sox need pitching help, explaining their interest in Harnisch. Cal Eldred went on the disabled list with a 10-2 record.

        A scout from Seattle, which leads the AL West, also was in attendance. So was Arizona's advance scout, who was scrutinizing the Reds for the Diamondbacks' series this weekend at Cinergy Field — and could file a Harnisch report for the NL West pacesetters.

        Harnisch's last complete-game shutout was a 3-0 three-hitter May 22, 1999, at San Diego. He also recorded the Reds' first nine-inning blanking since Steve Parris' 3-0 gem last Sept.18 at Pittsburgh. Harnisch, 4-0 against Houston last season, improved his lifetime record against his former teammates to 6-2.

        Harnisch allowed only three Astros to reach scoring position while collecting his 12th career shutout. Despite tweaking his knee in the first inning, he retired 14 batters in a row after walking Lance Berkman with two outs in the first.

        “If I can get (hitters) to think about my breaking ball or worry about it, throw it over the plate with some decent tilt on it. ... That's always been a key for me,” said Harnisch, who threw 70 strikes in 105 pitches.

        Since returning from seven weeks on the disabled list with a weakened rotator cuff, Harnisch is 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA, indicating that his right shoulder is sound.

Join the discussion with other fans in our Reds forum.

Larkin still willing to forge a deal SULLIVAN: Larkin's price too high Fans to Reds: Don't let Larkin go Reds 4, Astros 0 Box, runs Wohlers called up Sullivan to appeal suspension Captain Hook's style caught on Ballpark cost cut by $17M

• Return to Reds front page...