HOUSTON — Reds manager Jack McKeon joined the chorus of managers unhappy with the Astros' practice of opening Enron Field's retractable roof at the top of the sixth inning of summertime night games.

        Between 12-15 minutes pass before the roof opens completely. By the bottom of the sixth, a breeze typically blows to left field, giving Houston's hitters first crack at capitalizing on the hitter-friendly gusts.

        The Astros aren't doing anything underhanded; baseball rules state that retractable roofs must start to be opened at the top of an inning. But complaints persist..

        “It's an unfair advantage,” McKeon said. “You change the playing conditions from the sixth inning on.”

        ALL-STAR SURPRISE: Pete Harnisch packed something extra as the Reds returned to Cincinnati: the Astros jersey he donned in the 1991 All-Star Game.

        It was a gift from Dennis Liborio, Houston's clubhouse manager. “He couldn't find it until they moved from the Astrodome last year,” said Harnisch, who played with Houston from 1991-94.

        ETC. McKeon was optimistic that second baseman Pokey Reese, who missed his second game in a row with a sore left groin, will return to the lineup tonight. “If not (tonight), the next day,” McKeon said.

        Dante Bichette's second-inning double extended his season-high hitting streak to 14 games.

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